PITTSBURGH (AP) — In a solid display of pitching depth, the Pittsburgh Pirates triumphed over the San Francisco Giants with a 5-2 victory on Thursday afternoon. The Pirates' bullpen, featuring six relievers, combined to limit the Giants to just two hits, showcasing the team's strong late-season form.
Rookie pitcher Khristian Curtis (1-0) played a pivotal role in this win, earning his first career victory by pitching three-plus innings. The 24-year-old right-hander had previously gone 11 consecutive innings without allowing a run, but he faced some challenges in the seventh inning, where he surrendered the first two runs of his career. Yohan Ramirez stepped in to mitigate the damage, and Mason Montgomery closed out the game, securing his eighth save of the season.
Despite managing only five hits themselves, the Pirates capitalized on the early struggles of Giants' starter Blade Tidwell (0-2), who battled control issues throughout the game. Tidwell's performance included five walks and five strikeouts over five innings, as he needed 40 pitches to navigate the first inning alone. The Pirates took advantage of these opportunities, with Oneil Cruz drawing three walks, including a bases-loaded walk in the first inning that brought home a run. Jake Mangum also made his presence felt, reaching base four times and driving in a run after being hit by a pitch immediately following Cruz's at-bat.
In a notable moment for the Pirates, Nick Gonzales recorded a seventh-inning single that marked his 153rd hit of the season, making him the first Pirates right-handed hitter to reach that number since Starling Marte achieved 159 hits in 2019. This achievement highlights Gonzales' significant contribution to the team's offense as they strive to remain competitive in the National League wild card race.
With this victory, the Pirates have now won five of their last six series, keeping them on the periphery of the wild card contention with just over three weeks remaining in the regular season. The team is also anticipating the return of rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, who is expected to rejoin the lineup after a two-month absence due to a left ring finger injury.
For the Giants, Jung Hoo Lee provided a brief spark with a pinch-hit RBI double, while Drew Gilbert recorded the team's other hit. However, the Giants struggled to find their rhythm against the Pirates' formidable bullpen.
Looking ahead, the Giants will head to New York for a three-game series against the Mets starting Friday, while the Pirates are set to host the Los Angeles Angels this weekend. The opener will feature Ryan Johnson (3-7, 5.47 ERA) for the Angels against Pittsburgh's Jared Jones (2-6, 4.83 ERA), as both teams look to build momentum as the season approaches its conclusion.
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