Bryan Reynolds drove in four runs, Luis Ortiz pitched effectively through the sixth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates secured a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Reynolds, who had four hits in the game, played a crucial role in Pittsburgh’s win. He broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run single against reliever Tanner Banks. In the ninth inning, Reynolds added two more RBIs with another single, helping the Pirates to their third consecutive win and fifth in the last six games.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton praised his team’s resilience, especially their late-game efforts. “They’re grinding it out,” Shelton remarked. “We’re playing solid baseball right now, and it’s important for us to finish the first half of the season strong.”
Ortiz, making his third start and 25th appearance of the season, allowed one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five batters and walked one, building on a solid performance from his previous outing where he threw six scoreless innings against the New York Mets.
Reflecting on his pitching, Ortiz emphasized staying composed and trusting his pitches. “I faced some tough moments, but I made adjustments and focused on executing my pitches,” Ortiz said through an interpreter. “Staying calm and in control was key.”
Andrew McCutchen contributed to the Pirates’ offense with two hits and a run scored before leaving the game due to a sore left hamstring.
For the struggling White Sox, Chris Flexen pitched into the seventh inning but couldn’t prevent his team from their ninth loss in 12 games. With the worst record in MLB at 27-70, the White Sox are focused on improving in the second half of the season.
“We can’t ignore the reality,” said Luis Robert Jr. through an interpreter. “It’s been tough. We have to keep working hard to turn things around.”
Flexen departed the game with a runner on first base after Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a hard single that was mishandled by shortstop Nicky Lopez to start the seventh inning.
