Pirates return to .500 with 4-2 win vs. White Sox

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 9, 2026

Published in Baseball

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The Pirates are back at .500. They showed plenty of fight to get there.

The Pirates beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-2, on Wednesday night at Rate Field in Chicago, winning their fifth consecutive series. A three-run seventh inning proved key in overcoming a shaky bullpen late.

The Pirates are 10-4 since the three-game sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They hadn’t won five consecutive series since August 2015.

The White Sox loaded the bases in both the seventh and eighth innings, twice bringing the go-ahead runs to the plate. But Yohan Ramirez induced an inning-ending double play groundout to third baseman Jared Triolo in the seventh. In the eighth, Triolo leapt to snare a 100.2-mph liner hit by Chase Meidroth that was thrown by Pirates reliever Luke Weaver, then tagged third base for the final out.

Triolo came into the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning. He added a single in the ninth.

Benches briefly cleared after the double-play groundout in the second, as Chicago’s Sam Antonacci appeared to stick an elbow out toward Brandon Lowe as Lowe threw to first. No players were ejected, although both benches were warned.

Esmerlyn Valdez opened the scoring in the fifth inning with a two-strike homer to right field. White Sox right-hander Davis Martin left an 0-2 sinker on the inside part of the plate and Valdez muscled it to the opposite-field.

He started the seventh inning rally with a walk. Spencer Horwitz advanced pinch-runner Billy Cook with a bunt single, then Rafael Flores Jr. added an RBI single. Konnor Griffin scored two with a single to center.

The runs proved key immediately. Camilo Doval walked two and allowed two singles, cutting the Pirates’ lead to 4-1. Ramirez came in to face pinch-hitting All-Star third baseman Miguel Vargas, and his outside sweeper got Vargas to roll the double play to Triolo.

Weaver was brought in for the eighth, his first appearance in nearly a week, and swiftly allowed a solo homer to lefty Munetaka Murakami. After a single, a strikeout, a double and a hit by pitch, Meidroth lined Weaver’s first pitch change-up to Triolo.

It was over when …

Mason Montgomery was warming ahead of the Meidroth double play, but the Pirates were able to save him for the ninth. He continued his strong form with a 1-2-3 frame, recording his 11th save and 19th consecutive scoreless appearance.

On the mound

Doval and Weaver’s struggles threatened to derail what had been smooth sailing in a bullpen game.

Lake Bachar started and allowed two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings, but struck out three to keep Chicago scoreless.

Brandon Eisert, pitching against the team that dealt him in July, struck out five and didn’t allow a baserunner in 2 1/3 innings.

Carmen Mlodzinski and Gregory Soto both threw scoreless frames before Doval entered. The Pirates used eight relievers, with only Wilber Dotel (presumably unavailable after two innings on Tuesday) and Khristian Curtis remaining in the bullpen.

The Pirates are 4-1 in Bachar’s five starts.

At the plate

Lowe went 2 for 4 with a walk.

The Pirates had 10 hits. Bryan Reynolds was the lone Pirate starter who did not record a hit.

Bucs bites

— Ryan O’Hearn went 0 for 3 with a walk, a run scored and a strikeout in seven innings at Triple-A Indianapolis. He was the Indians’ designated hitter in his second rehab appearance.

— High-A Greensboro lost their playoff opener to Frederick (Orioles) on Tuesday night, falling 13-1 in Greensboro. They’ll play Thursday at Frederick, hoping to earn a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday.

— The Pirates entered the season .500 all time, so their win once again returned them to .500 in franchise history. According to Baseball Reference, since play began in 1882, the franchise is 10,982-10,982.

Up next

The Pirates will go for a three-game sweep at 7:40 p.m. Thursday. Jared Jones (3-6, 4.46 ERA) will start for the Pirates, while the White Sox have not yet announced their starter.