​Pittsburgh erupted in dramatic fashion as Esmerlyn Valdez delivered a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam, to lift the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the Brewers at PNC Park in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader. The game began with Pittsburgh grabbing an early edge, then watching Milwaukee rally before Valdez’s late blast sealed the win.
In the bottom of the first, with the score 2-0, Brewers starter Brandon Sproat hit two of the first three Pirates hitters, and Valdez took advantage with an RBI single through the left side. The Pirates extended their lead when Nick Gonzales grounded into an apparent double play that went for an error at third base by Joey Ortiz, allowing Bryan Reynolds to score with two outs and make it 2-1.
The top of the second tied the game when Braxton Ashcraft left an 0-2 sinker over the plate and Jake Bauers capitalized, belting a two-run homer to right field to level the score at 2-2.
Valdez gave Pittsburgh the lead back in the bottom of the third with a two-out solo homer to center field, his eighth of the season, a round-tripper that traveled 421 feet.
Milwaukee answered in the top of the fourth, as Cooper Pratt delivered an RBI double down the line past the glove of diving Bryan Reynolds in left-center, and Sal Frelick followed with a go-ahead two-run homer to right field, putting the Brewers ahead 5-3.
Milwaukee added to its lead in the top of the seventh when William Contreras singled home Garrett Mitchell off Pirates reliever Carmen Mlodzinski, extending the margin to 6-3.
The bottom of the seventh proved to be a turning point. Valdez came through again, delivering a grand slam to the opposite field off Aaron Ashby to erase a three-run deficit and give Pittsburgh a 7-6 lead. The slam, Valdez’s second homer of the game and his first career grand slam, capped a remarkable performance by the Pirates’ rookie right fielder, who also joined the small club of players with a multi-homer game in his first year. The blast traveled about 380 feet.
The Brewers threatened in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but Gregory Soto induced a game-ending double play by Voiding Vaughn’s grounder to third and then throwing to home for the final out. Soto earned his 12th save of the season.
Valdez’s late heroics were part of a standout afternoon for him: his first career grand slam, and his first career multi-homer game, marked his most prolific performance to date. Over his last 17 games dating back to June 19, Valdez is batting .403 (25-for-62) with five doubles, one triple, seven home runs, and 19 RBIs, underscoring a surge that has the Pirates optimistic about the rookie outfielder’s continued development.
Pitching notes highlighted Braxton Ashcraft’s solid bounce-back effort despite a rough fourth inning. He went five innings, allowing five hits and five runs (three earned) with two walks and six strikeouts on 98 pitches (64 strikes). Ashcraft has now worked at least five innings in 13 straight starts. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched three innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts (57 pitches, 34 strikes) as he bridged to the late-inning action. Valdez finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs, scoring two runs.
The game was originally slated for Friday night but was postponed due to inclement weather, moving to Saturday afternoon for the doubleheader opener. In the second game of the doubleheader later today, Pirates right-hander Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.82 ERA) is expected to start before the break, with Brewers left-hander Shane Drohan (4-2, 2.97 ERA) on the mound for Milwaukee. First pitch for the doubleheader’s second contest was scheduled for 4:15 p.m. ET.
Additional notes from the day include the Pirates’ ongoing trade speculative chatter surrounding compensation picks, as Pittsburgh Baseball Now reports that teams expect the Pirates to explore options in that arena. Pittsburgh Hockey Now also noted that the Penguins’ list of free-agent options appears “left” for better SEO visibility.
Overall, Valdez’s performance provided a sensational highlight reel for Pirates fans and underscored his rising impact as a breakout performer in 2026. His on-field heroics helped Pittsburgh erase a late deficit, turn a gut-wrenching loss into a memorable win, and set the tone for the day’s doubleheader as the Pirates chased another win.