PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz tripled home Isiah Kiner-Falefa with two outs in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Saturday.
Kiner-Falefa singled off Tyler Alexander (2-5) with one out and Cruz followed two batters later by sending a shot to the gap in right-center field. The 6-foot-7 Cruz — coming off the first multihomer game of his career in a victory Friday night — slid head-first into third, then popped up to celebrate.
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Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes reaches for a single hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Bryan Reynolds, left, is greeted by Ke'Bryan Hayes, right, after scoring during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz, right, slides safely into third base with an RBI triple as Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin, left, apples a late tag during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Spencer Horwitz added two hits and drove in a run for the Pirates, who have won four of five. Chase Shugart (3-3) came on with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh and got Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio on a fly ball to right to end the threat. David Bednar worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the ninth for his fifth save.
Caleb Durbin had three hits for the Brewers. Christian Yelich added two singles, but Milwaukee left nine men on base to lose for the third time in four games.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller pitched six stellar innings, allowing a run and seven hits with seven strikeouts. Yet Pittsburgh, as it has done consistently this season when Keller is on the mound, struggled to take advantage.
Keller has received the lowest run support of any starter in the majors, and when he left, the game was tied at 1 thanks to a solid effort by Quinn Priester.
Priester, taken with the 18th overall selection by Pittsburgh in 2019 before being sent to Boston at last year's trade deadline, kept his former team in check over a season-high six innings.
Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier made a slick spinning throw home for a force-out with the bases loaded in the seventh to keep the game tied.
364 — The number of career strikeouts by Keller at PNC Park, the most by a Pirates pitcher since the ballpark tucked against the Allegheny River opened in 2001.
The series wraps up Sunday. Pittsburgh's Bailey Falter (3-3, 3.50) has allowed just one earned run in his last 23 1/3 innings. Rookie Logan Henderson (3-0, 1.69) gets the nod for the Brewers.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes reaches for a single hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Bryan Reynolds, left, is greeted by Ke'Bryan Hayes, right, after scoring during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz, right, slides safely into third base with an RBI triple as Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin, left, apples a late tag during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles need a new offensive coordinator.
Ask most fans, commentators — and, privately, some players — and the change from Kevin Patullo was inevitable long before Philadelphia actually made the move this week in the wake of a playoff loss.
There's a “help wanted” sign for the new boss of an offense — one loaded with elite talent such as Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — that fell way short as the Eagles failed in their bid to win consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman were vague on details Thursday about why they waited until the end of the season to make the move — the Eagles ranked 24th in yards per game (311) and 19th in points per game (19.3) — and less clear on what they wanted out of a new coordinator.
“You’re looking to continue to evolve as an offense, and I’m looking to bring in the guy that’s going to best help us do that,” Sirianni said. “I think that there are many different ways to be successful on offense and everybody has different styles, everybody has different players, and there’s many different ways to be successful.”
The Eagles have plenty of credible candidates to choose from — everyone from Josh McCown and Cam Turner to former NFL coaches Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel and Kliff Kingsbury. The new OC could have complete autonomy to run the offense, though collaboration has been key under Sirianni.
No matter the coordinator, the Eagles expect to be contenders again after playing in two of the last four Super Bowls. Just winning an NFC East title doesn't cut it these days in Philly.
“If it doesn’t end with confetti falling on our heads, I don’t feel like it’s good enough,” Roseman said. “I know that we’re not going to win the Super Bowl every year. I think I know that from a broad perspective, but I believe we can. I go into every offseason thinking we’re going to do whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl.”
Two-time All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson has built a Hall of Fame-level career and won two Super Bowls since the Eagles made him a 2013 first-round pick.
Retirement talk was a hot topic for most of the season.
Johnson turns 36 in May and did not play after Week 11 because of a foot injury. He did not talk to the media this week when the Eagles cleaned out their lockers.
Roseman kept private his conversation with Johnson about retirement. Johnson reworked his contract last May and is signed through 2027.
“You're talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s been a huge, huge part of any of our success that we’ve had, and when you watch him play, he’s still playing at an elite level,” Roseman said.
Brown is likely staying put.
While he isn't shy about airing his grievances, the wide receiver is often worth the distractions because of his production.
Just not this season.
Brown had 78 receptions (down from 106 in 2023) for 1,003 yards (he had 1,496 in 2022) and only five 100-yard games. Of course, some of that dip in production resulted from how he was used in Patullo's offense. The changes ahead are one reason why the Eagles are in no rush to give up on the 28-year star — along with the $43 million dead salary cap hit they'd take if Brown wasn't on the roster.
“It is hard to find great players in the NFL and A.J.’s a great player,” Roseman said. “I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for when we go out here in free agency and in the draft is trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy. I think that would be my answer.”
Special teams coach Michael Clay had a virtual interview Thursday for the same job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sirianni also hasn't ruled out Patullo staying on the staff in a different role.
“I know Kevin’s going to have other opportunities, and obviously always want what’s best for Kevin and for his family, so we’ll see how that plays out,” Sirianni said.
Patullo could want a fresh start after his house was egged earlier this season and one area indoor golf establishment let fans hit golf balls into a photo of his face after the playoff loss.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, looks over as head coach Nick Sirianni, right, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, right, and executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
