Pirates rip 18 hits in a blowout win against White Sox

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 8, 2026

Published in Baseball

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Bubba Chandler ended his night with a fist pump.

His start wasn’t the only thing worth celebrating.

The Pittsburgh Pirates pummeled the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night at Rate Field in Chicago, winning 9-3 behind six strong innings from Chandler and an early offensive explosion. The Pirates scored five runs before White Sox starter Sean Burke recorded an out, more than enough on a night Chandler had his best stuff.

Every Pirates starter recorded a hit. Seven had multiple. Oneil Cruz and Rafael Flores Jr. both had three-hit nights, while Spencer Horwitz went 2 for 5 and drove in three.

Burke was charged with seven runs, all earned, on eight hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings.

Chandler, in contrast, retired the first 12 batters he faced before his bid at perfection was broken up in the fifth. He allowed two runs on four hits. His eight strikeouts were the second most he’s had this season, while he didn’t walk anyone for the first time all year.

Four of the first five hitters doubled against Burke, with Brandon Lowe’s walk the lone exception. Cruz scored two with his double, off the very top of the center-field wall. The Pirates sent 10 batters to the plate in the opening frame.

The White Sox pulled Burke when the second inning started nearly as poorly as the first. After he walked Esmerlyn Valdez to load the bases, Chicago turned to its bullpen. Horwitz then scored two with a single on the first pitch he saw from lefty Tyler Schweitzer.

Flores blasted a solo homer off of former Pirate Jose Urquidy in the fifth, then Bryan Reynolds added a sacrifice fly. Urquidy covered four innings of the blowout, throwing 65 pitches in relief.

The Pirates (72-73) are now just one game under .500.

It was over when …

Chandler struck out the final two batters in the first. With a healthy lead, the Pirates were set as long as Chandler had his best stuff and threw strikes. He made it seem easy enough.

On the mound

Beyond command, the key to Chandler’s success was his four-seamer. He racked up 16 whiffs on the pitch, the most by a Pirate in the Statcast era (since 2015). He also threw 22 sinkers, nearly triple his usual rate.

Seventy-three of the 95 pitches Chandler threw were either four-seamers or sinkers. He threw just nine curveballs — slightly more than usual — to go with seven sliders and six changeups, both well below his norm.

Wilber Dotel allowed one run in two innings of relief. Yohan Ramirez needed just 11 pitches for a 1-2-3 ninth. Apart from Dotel, everyone else should be available for Wednesday’s bullpen game.

At the plate

Konnor Griffin led off the game with a 109.4 mph double. It wasn’t even the hardest-hit ball of the inning.

Cruz ripped a 111.2 mph double three batters later, then one-upped it with a 115.9 mph single off the lefty Schweitzer in the fourth.

The Pirates racked up 18 hits, their fourth-most this season. They hit 20 baseballs harder than 98 mph.

Bucs bites

— Prior to the game, the Pirates recalled lefty Brandon Eisert and placed right-hander Isaac Mattson on the 15-day injured list with a right hip impingement, retroactive to Sunday.

— First baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday night. He went 1 for 3 with a double, playing seven innings at first base.

If he continues to progress, he could return as soon as Friday’s series opener at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

Up next

The Pirates continue their three-game set against the White Sox on Wednesday at 7:40 p.m. ET. They have not yet announced who will oppose White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (9-6, 4.13 ERA).

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