Esmerlyn Valdez hit a solo home run and Konnor Griffin had a two-run single to lift the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-2 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh defeated Chicago in a bullpen game to clinch its fifth straight series victory and seventh in the past eight. Eight Pirates pitchers scattered eight hits and struck out 14.
Mason Montgomery struck out two in a perfect ninth to record his 11th save.
Chicago (75-70) remained two games ahead of Cleveland atop the American League Central division with the Guardians’ 9-5 loss in Baltimore earlier Wednesday. The Pirates (73-73) reached the .500 mark for the first time since Aug. 3 as they stayed in the hunt for the third National League wild-card spot with their third straight victory.
Valdez connected against White Sox starter Davis Martin for his 17th homer to lead off the fifth inning. The Pirates added three insurance runs against Sean Newcomb in the seventh. Rafael Flores Jr. lined an RBI single before Griffin broke the game open with a two-run single.
The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half but scored just one run. Sam Antonacci collected an RBI single when pitcher Camilo Doval failed to cover first base on a sharp grounder to first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Yohan Ramirez entered and induced Miguel Vargas on a double-play grounder to end the threat.
Munetaka Murakami belted a solo home run, his 31st, against Luke Weaver in the eighth to draw the White Sox within the final margin. Chicago loaded the bases later in the inning and was unable to score when Pittsburgh third baseman Jared Triolo leapt to catch a Chase Meidroth line drive, then darted to the bag to double off Randal Grichuk at third.
Pirates left-hander Brandon Eisert (3-2), who began the season with the White Sox, pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings against his former team with five strikeouts.
Brandon Lowe had two hits for the Pirates for his third straight multi-hit game. Grichuk also had two hits
Martin (9-7) scattered one run and four hits in five innings with two walks and one strikeout. He threw 68 pitches, 41 for strikes.
–Field Level Media
