Hunter Barco gets win in MLB debut as Pirates beat Reds for 3rd straight victory

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Hunter Barco took a few steps out of the bullpen at the Great American Ball Park on Tuesday and took the opportunity to look around.

“I was like, ‘Whoa, all right. We’re here,’” Barco said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show.

Barco, who is the Pirates’ fourth-ranked prospect and is ranked 82nd by MLB Pipeline, made the most of his major-league debut, pitching a scoreless sixth inning to earn his first major-league win as the Pirates defeated the Reds, 4-2, to win their third straight game.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound southpaw has put together an accomplished season as he pitched with both Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis before being promoted ahead of the Pirates’ six-game road trip to finish the 2025 season.

His first major-league appearance wasn’t the cleanest as he allowed two hits, one each to Miguel Andujar and Elly De La Cruz. However, he managed to escape a first-and-third situation by getting second baseman Matt McClain to ground out to shortstop Nick Gonzales after a quick mound visit.

“He’s a dog,” said second baseman Nick Yorke, who spent much of this season with Barco in Indianapolis. “I mean, I saw it all year in Indy, and I wouldn’t expect that to change here. So there was never a doubt when he was on the mound.”

Over 99⅓ minor-league innings this season, Barco produced a 2.81 ERA while making 23 starts, striking out 116 hitters and limiting opposing batters to a .196 batting average. He spent time in big-league camp during spring training and eventually began the year in Altoona, where he didn’t allow a run over 25⅔ innings.

Barco didn’t have the same type of elite success in Indianapolis, producing a 3.79 ERA over 73⅔ innings while striking out 82, but he did enough to earn a September call-up. When he got his opportunity to soak it all in, he made sure not to pass it up.

“Everyone said to really take it in. Your debut is not necessarily about baseball, is what people have said,” Barco said. “Let’s just go out there and experience it for the first time and, from there, hit the ground running. So, I was able to take it in for as long as I needed to and then lock it back in to go pitch.”

While Barco picked up the win, right-hander Johan Oviedo set the stage. Making his eighth start of the season, Oviedo allowed two earned runs on a De La Cruz home run, but retired 11 of the next 13 batters he faced. He topped out at 82 pitches after working 4⅔ innings, striking out seven, walking three and giving up two hits.

After Oviedo walked center fielder TJ Friedl on seven pitches in the fifth inning, manager Don Kelly made a trip to the mound. Oviedo was seen on the broadcast asking for one more out, but Kelly elected to go to the bullpen.

“I think he wanted one more,” Kelly said. “We had targeted a pitch count there and we went over it, trying to give him Friedl. He’s a competitor. That’s one thing I’ve told these guys. I love that they compete, that they want the ball and want to stay out there. But there are also times that we’re going to go to the bullpen for a variety of reasons. That’s one thing I love about him, is how fiery he is.”

Oviedo was gifted an early lead when the Pirates tallied four runs in the second inning.

Left fielder Jack Suwinski got things started when he doubled on a 2-2 sinker from Reds starter Brady Singer. He crossed the plate moments later when Yorke, who went 2 for 4, singled back up the middle on a first-pitch slider for his seventh RBI since being recalled Sept. 1.

Right fielder Alexander Canario then made it 2-0 with a double down the left-field line, stroking a cutter at the bottom of the strike zone. Center fielder Oneil Cruz capped off the scoring in the frame when he connected on a sinker on the outer edge for his 20th home run, sending it 368 feet. It was his first home run since Aug. 30.

“It was a huge swing, to put us up four and for him to get No. 20, that’s always a tough one that you want to get out of the way when you get to 19,” Kelly said. “He’s been having better at-bats, better energy, running the bases well and playing good defense. Really happy and proud of him with the way he’s responded.”

Working with a two-run lead, the Pirates bullpen closed things out, extending their scoreless streak to 19 innings. Dauri Moreta threw a third of an inning as Rafael Flores, who was making his first major-league start at catcher, threw out Friedl trying to advance to second on a wild pitch.

After Barco worked the sixth, Justin Lawrence, Isaac Mattson and Dennis Santana each threw a scoreless inning and were aided by inning-ending double plays.

Lawrence (elbow) struck out two in his fourth appearance since returning from the 60-day IL on Sept. 12. He hasn’t allowed a run, has struck out four and allowed just three hits.

Paul Skenes (10-10, 2.03 ERA) is set to face off with Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.74 ERA) on Wednesday in the second game of the three-game set between the Pirates and the Reds.