Pirates' Nick Gonzales goes 5 for 5 in Milwaukee, setting new career high in hits

Judging by the way he described his pregame routine, Nick Gonzales would not have bet money he’d end Monday with a career high in hits.

Gonzales couldn’t be kept off the bags in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 5-4 win over the Brewers as he went 5 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs at American Family Field.

“It’s funny — I didn’t have a very good (batting practice) earlier today, but I just dug deep, tried to put some in play there and, I don’t know, had a good game,” Gonzales said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show.

Gonzales’ self-described “good game” boosted his season batting average from .271 to .320 and came a day removed from a 2-for-5 performance at home against the Texas Rangers, in which he had another RBI.

New Mexico State athletic director of broadcasting Adam Young unearthed an interesting nugget about Gonzales, an Aggies alum chosen by the Pirates in the first round (No.7 overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft.

Per Young, Monday was Gonzales’ first five-hit game since Feb. 23, 2020, when he went 5 for 6 with two homers and hit for the cycle as a college junior.

First 5 hit game for Nick Gonzales since he went 5-6 with 2 HR, 7 RBI (hit for the cycle) on 2/23/20 in his final season with @NMStateBaseball.

Have yourself a night Nicky G! #ProAggies pic.twitter.com/ZnscVDcDIh

— Adam Young (@youngpbp) June 24, 2025

All told, Gonzales has been heating up since returning from the injured list June 3.

Having played 18 games since suffering an ankle fracture in the season opener March 27, which landed him on the 60-day injured list, Gonzales is hitting .319 (23 for 72) this month with three doubles, two triples, a homer and five RBIs.

Gonzales, 26, has a .351 on-base percentage since June 3 and an OPS of .809.

“(Hitting coach Matt) Hague’s been working with me, he’s been doing his thing and I really like that guy,” Gonzales said of his offensive success lately. “It’s been going well.”

Gonzales began his red-hot evening Monday with a two-out RBI double in the first inning, providing the Pirates their first run of the game.

Then, in the third, he singled for his second hit off Brewers starter Chad Patrick.

In the fifth, Gonzales put the Pirates up 4-2 with an RBI base hit into right field that scored Bryan Reynolds, but he was gunned down at second base trying to stretch a double.

With Milwaukee reliever Aaron Ashby pitching in the seventh, Gonzales set a career high in hits with four, sending a single into right field.

All 4 hits from Nick Gonzales tonight, including a double and 2 RBI

He's now batting .311 this year with an .815 OPS https://t.co/1bcyxR2tkU pic.twitter.com/3jK7DBjwRM

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) June 24, 2025

Previously, Gonzales had posted five three-hit games in his MLB career that dates to Jun 23, 2023.

But that his personal record did not last long as Gonzales ripped his second double of the game for hit No. 5 on the night.

NICK GONZALES ISN'T DONE YET

HE'S 5-5 TONIGHT AFTER YET ANOTHER DOUBLE

100.4 MPH exit velocity, .380 xBA https://t.co/Yhb4GshhIH pic.twitter.com/c2dklQFkc9

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) June 24, 2025

“For me, he’s using the middle of the field, he’s driving the ball the other way, barreling balls up — just a tremendous approach,” manager Don Kelly said. “He’s just a great hitter, man. To see the way he’s continued to develop and continued to get better, he’s doing a remarkable job.”

Gonzales’ campaign being derailed nearly as soon as it got underway was no doubt devastating for him as it was for the Pirates, who lost a player envisioned to be a key presence in the nightly lineup.

Ultimately, Gonzales and the Pirates had to stay patient as he recovered.

Coming off a promising 94-game 2024 season, in which he slashed .270/.311/.398 with seven homers, 19 doubles and 49 RBIs, Gonzales had to wait two months to pick up where he left off.

Now, as he takes more at-bats and continues to get settled, Gonzales looks to be doing just that.

“The way he’s competing right now — he’s taking what the pitchers are giving him,” Kelly said. “If they throw him away, he’s going with it. He’s also pulled some balls in the air. His approach has been great.”