CHICAGO — Another successful bullpen game. Two clutch double plays. Rookies supplying the offense. Tempers flaring and benches emptying.
The Pirates' 4-2 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday at Rate Field had a little bit of everything. But more important than any of that other stuff, it delivered another series victory.
That's now five series wins in a row (first time since Aug. 14-30, 2015 that’s happened) and seven of the past eight. The recent stretch of better baseball has helped the Pirates (73-73) reach .500 for the first time since Aug. 3 (57-57).
"We have to be ready to win every game in front of us, and that starts again Thursday," said Konnor Griffin, who had two steals and two RBIs for the first time in his Major League career.
"It’ll be big to sweep these guys and will put us in a good spot going next door to the Cubs and trying to do the same thing. Just stacking wins, that’s all we can do.”
This one showed some guts, growth and maturity from Don Kelly's team. At times in June or July, the Pirates might've found a way to lose. Instead, they keep talking about going 1-0 every day, and against the AL Central leaders, they found ways to win.
Bullpen games have been plenty successful for the Pirates this season, and they again employed that strategy to perfection Tuesday. Eight relievers combined on the effort, starting with Lake Bachar, Brandon Eisert and Carmen Mlodzinski, who navigated the first five.
Gregory Soto, Camilo Doval, Yohan Ramírez, Luke Weaver and Mason Montgomery took it the rest of the way, as the Pirates improved to 7-4 in bullpen games this season while allowing an average of 2.5 runs.
Offensively, Esmerlyn Valdez homered, Brandon Lowe had two hits, and Griffin came up clutch with a two-run single in the seventh, a three-run outburst that turned out to be pivotal.
“That was a full team win," Kelly said. "It took everybody pretty much on the roster to get it done.
"I know we’ve talked a lot about it, but the mindset has been to find any way we can to win that day."
The Pirates bent in the seventh and eighth, allowing single runs in each frame. But they avoided further damage by turning consecutive inning-ending double plays for the first time since April 28, 2021.
Ramirez wiggled out of the first of those by rolling a double-play ball. Then with Weaver pitching, Jared Triolo — who started the double play for Ramirez — snared a line drive off the bat of White Sox shortstop Chase Meidroth and stepped on third to end the frame.
"It feels good," said Triolo, who entered as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the seventh. "I'm just trying to be ready for my number to be called. It's great to see it pay off."
Bachar continued his recent run of success in the opener role with 1 2/3 shutout innings, striking out three. In five opening assignments with Pittsburgh this season, Bachar has allowed just two earned runs in 11 1/1 innings for a 1.59 ERA.
Eisert was even better by recording seven straight outs, which included a career-high five strikeouts. After stranding two runners in the first, Eisert has stranded all seven runners he's inherited with the Pirates this season.
Over just four innings, Bachar and Eisert combined for 16 whiffs.
"Just tried to attack the zone," said Eisert, who recorded his first win as a Pirate. "Especially going in there trying to strand the runners first and foremost. Then knowing it’s a bullpen day, going as long as I could to help the team."
Valdez handed the Pirates a 1-0 lead with his solo homer in the fifth. It came on an 0-2 sinker located middle-in. Valdez showcased his opposite-field power by cranking it over the right-field fence.
Valdez's 17 homers are the most for a Pirates rookie since 2022, when Jack Suwinski had 19 and Oneil Cruz hit 17.
In what became an integral rally, Pittsburgh scored three times in the seventh grab a 4-0 advantage.
Rafael Flores Jr. got the first big hit: a line-drive single into center on a changeup low and away. By driving in Billy Cook, Flores picked up his 17th RBI since Aug. 13 Miami, a span of 22 games.
Griffin had the other one, also a line-drive single to center, Pirates rookies supplying all of the offense in this one.
"It’s a product of the whole team playing really good baseball," Valdez said, with Major League coach Stephen Morales translating. "We’re going to keep going out there and doing our best."
'Didn't like the slide'
The double play to end the seventh inning emptied the benches, the result of something Lowe said to Sam Antonacci after he didn't like the way the White Sox second baseman slid each of the past two nights.
"I just didn't like the slide," Lowe said. "Said my piece and walked away. I don't really know what led to the benches clearing. But bad slide [Tuesday], bad slide [Wednesday and just kind of tired of it."
It looked like Antonacci might've gotten an elbow up high. Lowe also wasn't thrilled with the direction or length of Antonacci's slide. Either way, Antonacci didn't exactly take it as constructive criticism and started barking at Lowe.
"He said something back," Lowe continued. "I reiterated what I said. I thought that was the end of it, walked and went about my business, and then I saw our guys coming out. Next thing I know, they were clear."
By the numbers:
73-73: Overall record
5.0: Games back in the NL Wild Card race
5: Consecutive series victories for the Pirates, along with seven in their past eight
3: Inning-ending double-play balls induced by Ramirez this season.
146: Pirates are at least .500 after 146 games for the first time since 2018, when they finished 82-79.
Around the horn
• One wrinkle of Wednesday's bullpen game included another one-inning appearance for Mlodzinski, who followed Eisert. Mlodzinski breezed through a 1-2-3 frame, throwing just 10 pitches. But this represented his second straight one-inning outing after 31 that went at least two innings. The right-hander has now allowed just one hit and one unearned run in 8 1/3 innings over his past four appearances, none of them starts.
• Spencer Horwitz recored the first bunt single of his career in the seventh inning. Here's hoping he got the ball.
• Gregory Soto (scoreless sixth) has pitched 11 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run over his past 12 appearances dating back to Aug. 14.
Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH on X.