Joey Bart and Bryan Reynolds hit home runs, Ke’Bryan Hayes had three hits, and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their fourth consecutive game by defeating the Chicago White Sox 9-4 on Sunday.
Nick Gonzales also tripled and drove in two runs for the Pirates, who have now won six of their last seven games and have reached .500 for the first time since April 27.
“We did what we needed to do to finish strong,” Bart commented. “We need to maintain this momentum when we return.”
Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. had three hits for the White Sox, who have lost four straight games and 10 of their last 13. Chicago made history by becoming the first MLB team to have 70 losses before the All-Star break.
“I think everyone really needs this break,” Benintendi remarked. “It’s a chance to step back and clear your mind for a bit. It hasn’t been the first half we hoped for, but we have to keep showing up and playing hard.”
Quinn Priester (2-5) pitched two innings, allowing one run for Pittsburgh. Bart hit a three-run home run off Chad Kuhl (0-1) to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. Gavin Sheets hit an RBI single to narrow the gap to 4-3 in the fifth inning.
The Pirates extended their lead with four runs in the seventh inning. Gonzales hit a triple off Jordan Leasure, driving in two runs when Benintendi missed a diving catch in left field. Rowdy Tellez followed with a sacrifice fly, and then Hayes and Joshua Palacios hit consecutive doubles to make it 8-3.
Reynolds hit a solo home run, his 18th of the season, off John Brebbia in the eighth inning. Reynolds initially stopped at second base, but the umpires ruled it a home run after the ball got stuck in the center field fence.
The White Sox had two bases-loaded opportunities but only managed to score once, on Eloy Jiménez’s double play groundout in the first inning.
Oneil Cruz hit a double off Kuhl to tie the game 1-1 in the third inning. In the bottom of the third inning, the White Sox left the bases loaded after Benintendi hit a home run to take a 2-1 lead.
