Pirates’ Bats Surge Late to Sweep White Sox 9-4

The Pirates logged their first sweep in more than two months on Sunday, July 14, pulling away from the Chicago White Sox in the late innings to win 9-4 and reach the All-Star Break with an even 48-48 record.

Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller struggled through three innings, allowing eight baserunners and two runs as he endured questionable command. His early exit ended a streak of 49 games in which he pitched at least five full innings: at the time, it stood as the longest active span in the majors.

Keller loaded the bases in the first inning, allowing one run to cross on a double play ball before getting out of the frame. The Pirates drew even with a two-out rally in the third, with All-Star Bryan Reynolds scoring from first on an Oneil Cruz double, but Chicago went back ahead soon thereafter on a home run from Andrew Benintendi.

The back-and-forth scoring continued in the fourth inning when Joey Bart slugged a three-run homer off former Bucco Chad Kuhl, putting Pittsburgh in front 4-2. With Keller out of the game, manager Derek Shelton took advantage of the pending break and emptied his bullpen, swapping through five different relievers—2019 first round pick Quinn Priester among them.

The Pirates blew the game open in the seventh inning, with a Nick Gonzales triple plating two runs. A sacrifice fly from Rowdy Tellez and Josh Palacios double each tacked on another run. Reynolds pulled a solo home run to right in the eighth inning on a fluky play that saw the ball rebound off a retaining wall to lodge in the far side of the outfield fence.