Palacios 'set the tone' vs. little bro?with 5 RBIs, great catch

PITTSBURGH -- Joshua Palacios knows what he’s capable of when he’s at his best. He’s provided multiple clutch performances for the Pirates this year despite not quite finding the long run of success he’s been searching for.

But on Monday night at PNC Park, with more than 40 friends and family members in his corner, Palacios showcased his all-around potential and gave himself some bragging rights in an 11-1 rout of the Cardinals.

Palacios collected a career-high five RBIs, including three on a smashed fourth-inning homer, as the Pirates’ lineup snapped out of a funk that was made apparent with a scoreless two-hit performance vs. the Twins on Sunday afternoon. Facing Cardinals rookie left-hander Drew Rom, who was making his MLB debut, the Bucs scored two runs in the first inning and two runs in the third with a good dose of small ball and timely hitting.

The way they broke it open? Palacios was happy to provide that knock.

The 28-year-old outfielder drove a no-doubt blast that cleared the right-field seats atop the Clemente Wall to chase Rom. Had it not been for a climbing bridge in the outfield play area at PNC Park, the ball might well have bounced into the Allegheny River, too.

And as Palacios swung the home run sword in the Pirates’ dugout after rounding the bases, he had a reminder for his younger brother, Richie, in the visitors' dugout: “I’m the big brother!”

“It’s very competitive in our household,” Palacios said. “Even if it’s not him, it’s my big cousins and my uncles flaming me, like, ‘I don’t know who’s the big brother. Your little brother’s looking big. He’s hitting more home runs.’

“So I had to set the tone today.”

Palacios has a feeling he can more consistently play like the big brother in the big leagues, too. He entered the game hitting 3-for-35 with a pair of homers in August, but he’s shown spurts of being able to put it together, including a span from May 19 through June 28 when he hit .286 over 70 at-bats. Palacios knows a game like the one he delivered on Monday can become a more common occurrence if he keeps putting the work in.

“I definitely believe so, and that’s the standard that I set myself to,” he said. “Unfortunately, it hasn’t been as consistent as I’ve wanted it to be recently, but we’re working on it. We’re getting in the cage, and that’s the type of player I believe I can be on a consistent basis.”

The charisma that Palacios shows, though -- that isn’t going anywhere, even if the results aren’t where he wants them. The fire he brings isn’t just something he displays in his big moments. Manager Derek Shelton said before the game that Palacios has “a ton of energy” and always brings a smile. His teammates feel it on a day-to-day basis, too.

“Even in a midweek game with no one in the stands, Josh will bring the energy,” said Connor Joe, who had three doubles vs. the Cardinals.

Palacios’ amazing night of offense ended on an arguably even more spectacular note. After switching from right field to left field in the eighth, he made one of the Pirates’ best catches of the season to end the game. Palacios laid out on a sinking liner with a catch probability of 35% and secured it to cap Bailey Falter’s impressive six innings of relief with just one run allowed.

What was Falter thinking as he raised his hands in shock?

“Thank you,” he said. “I'll grab that guy a beer later.”

Put it on Palacios’ tab. The party will likely continue on for the Brooklyn native -- though he’s somewhat glad it’s happening in Pittsburgh.

“Thank God this wasn’t in New York City, or I might have gone broke,” Palacios said.

Whether he goes broke or not, Palacios has a night he can cherish for a long time. It isn’t the first this season, either; he slugged a walk-off homer on his 28th birthday on July 30 vs. the Phillies. But this one means a bit more to him.

“I think today was more special to my parents with my family there,” Palacios said. “So I put this [at] No. 1, because my parents definitely deserve this day.”