By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Phillip Evans kept Akil Baddoo’s drive to left field in the park in the seventh inning to help Pittsburgh escape a jam, and the Pirates scored twice in the eighth to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2. Colin Moran and Erik González hit RBI singles with two outs in the eighth. With the score tied at 2, Baddoo nearly put the Tigers ahead, but Evans reached above the fence in left, and the ball bounced off his glove and back into the field of play. Baddoo wound up with a double, and he didn’t end up scoring.

Tigers beat Pirates 5-2 to gain doubleheader split
By DAVE HOGG Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Anderson’s five strong innings helped Pittsburgh move to 8-9 with a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, but Detroit rallied for a 5-2 win in the nightcap.Pittsburgh has won five of its last eight games after a 1-6 start.The Pirates and Tigers were playing a doubleheader because Tuesday night’s game was postponed on a snowy day in the Detroit area. There was still a white dusting on top of the bushes beyond the wall in center field Wednesday, plus some flurries late in the game.

Machado homers, Padres earn split with Pirates in 8-3 win
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Manny Machado hit his third home run of the season, Eric Hosmer added two hits and two RBIs and the San Diego Padres jumped on the Pittsburgh Pirates early in an 8-3 win. Machado took Mitch Keller (1-2) deep with a two-run shot down the left-field line during San Diego’s four-run first. Hosmer added a two-run single in the second. San Diego finished a seven-game eastern road trip 5-2. Keller struggled, giving up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings, a step back after pitching well in a victory over the Cubs last weekend.

Polanco hits early HR off Musgrove, Pirates beat Padres 5-1
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gregory Polanco homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the San Diego Padres 5-1, beating Joe Musgrove in his first start since throwing the first no-hitter in franchise history. Polanco hit a solo shot into the right-field stands in the second inning. That ended a 32-inning scoreless streak by Musgrove that dated to last season when he was still with the Pirates. Musgrove allowed only one run in four innings but was lifted after his pitch count reached to 81. He threw 112 pitches in the no-hitter last Friday against Texas. Johnny Vander Meer remains the only pitcher in MLB history to pitch back-to-back no-hitters, performing the feat for the Cincinnati Reds in 1938.

Brubaker pitches, hits Pirates to 7-1 win over slumping Cubs
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — JT Brubaker pitched into the sixth inning and had the first three RBIs of his career to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Chicago Cubs 7-1. Brubaker allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. His two-run single down the right-field line capped a three-run second inning and gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead. Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds had the third four-hit game of his career. Trevor Williams  was hit hard in his return to Pittsburgh, where he spent the first five seasons of his career before being released in November.

Keller shines, Pirates end 6-game skid, tag Davies, Cubs 8-2
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched five efficient innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates used an early burst to chase Zach Davies in an 8-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Keller bounced back from a rough 2021 debut by allowing one run. The 25-year-old struck out seven and walked just one as the Pirates ended a six-game losing streak. Colin Moran, Bryan Reynolds and Jacob Stallings all drove in two runs during Pittsburgh’s seven-run outburst in the second against Davies.

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jayy Baez hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning and the Chicago Cubs’ struggling offense came to life in a 4-2 over Pittsburgh. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo also homered for Chicago as the Cubs pounded out a season-high 11 hits against Tyler Anderson (0-2) and four Pittsburgh relievers. Baez, Rizzo, Bryant and Jake Marisnick had two hits each as Chicago raised its major-league worst team batting average from .143 to .157. Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco had two hits each for the Pirates but couldn’t stop Pittsburgh from dropping its sixth straight.