The Pittsburgh Pirates currently hold a 41-40 record and sit 9.5 games back in the NL Central. Over the last 24 hours, the club secured a 2-1 series victory over the Seattle Mariners. They achieved a 5-1 win at PNC Park on Thursday afternoon.
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MLB Game Recap
The Pirates defeated the Mariners 5-1, powered by two early home runs and a disciplined bullpen effort. Rookie Bubba Chandler earned the win (3-7), tossing 5.1 innings while allowing just one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts. Seattle cut the lead to 3-1 in the fifth. After this, the Pirates’ bullpen included Evan Sisk, Yohan Ramirez, Mason Montgomery, and Gregory Soto. They delivered 3.2 scoreless innings to shut the door. Insurance runs in the eighth inning from Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn provided the final margin.
Standout Performer
Brandon Lowe led the offensive charge, finishing 2-for-4 with a solo home run (19), two RBIs, and one run scored. Lowe opened the scoring in the first inning with a 391-foot blast to right-center. He later added a crucial RBI single in the eighth. His performance was outstanding. It solidified his place as the team leader in both home runs and RBIs (51). He achieved this since joining the club via trade.
Key News & Notes
The Pirates made several roster moves on Thursday. They placed first baseman Spencer Horwitz on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. In a corresponding move, the club recalled infielder Jack Brannigan from Double-A Altoona. Manager Don Kelly praised the team’s offensive approach during the series win. He noted that the hitters stayed focused on “stacking at-bats.” They utilized a “singles and doubles approach” instead of swinging for the fences.
Farm Report
- Triple-A Indianapolis: Rafael Flores Jr. went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run. It was a 6-4 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Indians fell despite out-hitting the RailRiders earlier in the week.
- Double-A Altoona: PJ Hilson finished 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a stolen base. They played in a 7-4 loss to the Fightin Phils. Altoona’s pitching staff struggled with consistency. They allowed 10 hits.
- High-A Greensboro: Murf Gray went 2-for-4. He hit his 11th home run of the season. The Grasshoppers achieved a 3-2 victory over Rome. Gray continues to lead the offense with a 1.100 OPS.
- Low-A Bradenton: Eddie King Jr. had a 3-for-5 night with a double and a stolen base. The team lost 8-5 to the Cardinals. The Marauders’ bullpen allowed three home runs in the defeat.
- FCL Pirates: Anyer Loreto went 1-for-2 with a solo home run (2) and two RBIs. The team won 6-5 in a walk-off against the Rays. The Rookie-level squad scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
Looking Ahead
The Pirates begin a three-game home series against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. Paul Skenes (6-7, 2.86 ERA) will take the mound for Pittsburgh, facing off against Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.83 ERA).
The Pirates move back above .500. They head into a pivotal divisional series. It’s perfect timing for a team hunting for its first postseason berth since 2015.
