Bad Break: Pirates Start Second Half With Dreadful Loss to White Sox
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are celebrating ‘Yinzerpalooza’ all weekend at PNC Park, but the fitting spelling would have been Yinzerpa-LOSE-a on Friday night against the Chicago White Sox.
The Pirates came out flat in their first game after the All-Star break and were walloped 10-1 by the White Sox.
How We Got There
Edgar Quero’s two-out home run started a two-out rally for the White Sox (33-65) in the first inning against Bailey Falter. Two batters later Andrew Benintendi doubled home a run and scored on Luis Robert Jr. ‘s single.
Three innings later, Robert belted a solo home run to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Pirates (39-59) plated their first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning, when Oneil Cruz plated Bryan Reynolds from third base with a single up the middle.
That was all the Pirates managed against Jonathan Cannon (4-7), who worked seven-strong innings.
In the top of the sixth, Colson Montgomery hit a chopper over the head of Spencer Horwitz with the bases loaded to extend Chicago’s lead to 6-1.
Benintendi singled home a run in the seventh, and later in the inning, former Pirate Michael A. Taylor cleared the bases with a double to left to push the White Sox to double digits.
The Pirates have now dropped nine of their last 10 games.
Key Moment
Edgar Quero’s home run sparked a big opening frame for the White Sox and an even bigger night for the bats. It marked the fifth time this season Chicago scored double-digit runs.
Star of the Game
Luis Robert Jr. homered, reached base four times and scored three runs. He also made one of the best catches of the season in center field to rob Isiah Kiner-Falefa of extra bases.
OH MY, LUIS ROBERT JR. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/eXtrnUMvyZ
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 18, 2025
Stat to Know
Oneil Cruz stole his 30th base of the season. He became the first Pirates’ player to steal at least 30 bases in a season since Starling Marte in 2018.
Notable Performances
- Bailey Falter (6-5): 4.0 innings, six hits, four runs, one walk, two strikeouts, 78 pitches/48 strikes
- Oneil Cruz: 2 for 3, one RBI, one steal
Noteworthy
- The Pirates had gone 31-straight innings at PNC Park without allowing a run before the White Sox scored three runs in the first.
- The Pirates recalled INF Liover Peguero from Triple-A Indianapolis.
Up Next
RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 4.83 ERA) will start for the Pirates in the second game of the series on Saturday night. RHP Adrian Houser (5-2, 1.56 ERA) goes for the White Sox. First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET.
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