Oneil Cruz Joins Baseball Immortality With Rare Feat Last Seen in 1909

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz has etched his name alongside one of the most legendary figures in baseball history. In a statement victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday, Cruz turned in a performance that put him in rarified air — and gave Pirates fans yet another reason to believe this season could be something special.

Cruz went 4-for-5 from the leadoff spot, adding a double, a walk, and — remarkably — three stolen bases, all of which came swiping second base. The dynamic 26-year-old raised his season average to a stellar .345 while pushing his OPS to an impressive 1.018. It was the kind of all-around showing that leaves teammates, coaches, and opponents alike shaking their heads.

What makes the night historic is what came before. Cruz became only the third player in Pirates franchise history to record at least four hits and three steals in a single game. The first was none other than Honus Wagner — known as The Flying Dutchman — who accomplished the feat on May 3, 1909, at West Side Grounds in Chicago. Wagner went 5-for-6 that day with a double, and after the game was sitting at a remarkable .393 average on the season.

The second player to join that list was Tony Womack, who turned the trick on July 5, 1998, in a game the Pirates would ultimately lose to the Cubs despite Womack going 4-for-5 with a double.

More than a century separates Wagner's era from Cruz's, and yet here was the young Puerto Rican shortstop doing something that even the most legendary players in franchise history could only achieve once. The feat requires not just elite bat-to-ball skills but also the kind of baserunning aggression and instincts that most players never develop.

Cruz has been one of the most electric players in all of baseball this season, combining power from the left side with the speed to threaten 30-30 territory. Saturday's showing was a reminder that his ceiling may still be higher than even the most optimistic projections.

The Pirates head into the week riding the momentum of that win, and with Cruz leading the charge at the top of the order, Pittsburgh has a genuine reason for excitement this summer.