Ben Gamel’s RBI single helps Pirates rally past Tigers 3-2
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Gamel had a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning among his three hits and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2. Gamel also made an outstanding catch in left field to end the top of the sixth, slamming into the fence to take away a potential extra-base hit from Derek Hill with two runners on and preventing the Tigers from adding to their 2-1 lead. Miguel Cabera went 3 for 4 with a double for the Tigers, raising his career hits total to 2,967.

Hayes, Tsutsugo rally Pirates to 6-3 win over Tigers
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ke’Bryan Hayes and Yoshi Tsutsugo each hit a two-run single during Pittsburgh’s four-run seventh inning, and the Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 to stop their six-game losing streak. Hayes finished with three hits, and Tsutsugo, Jacob Stallings and Cole Tucker each had two. Kevin Newman hit a two-run homer in the first for Pittsburgh. Niko Goodrum hit a two-run double for Detroit.

(Photo from 2019 contest)

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Cubs beat Pirates 6-5 on Difo error in 11th
By CASEY DROTTAR Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Sergio Alcántara scampered home when second baseman Wilmer Difo mishandled a popup in the 11th inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 for their third straight win. Rafael Ortega and Ian Happ homered for Chicago, and Alcántara logged the first three-hit game of his career. Codi Heuer got three outs for the win. Alcántara began the 11th on second base and advanced on Ortega’s sacrifice bunt. Happ then sent a high fly to second, where Difo committed the game-ending error.

Rookie Sheets hits 2 HRs, White Sox beat Pirates 6-3
By MARK GONZALES Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie Gavin Sheets hit two home runs, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Sheets, who was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, hit a three-run homer off Max Kranick (1-3) with two out in the fourth inning to snap a scoreless tie. White Sox starter Carlos Rodon (10-5) pitched five innings of five-hit ball.

Pirates in MLB’s 1st minority lineup honored 50 years later
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The members of the Major League Baseball’s first all-minority lineup say they didn’t set out to make history. The Pittsburgh Pirates started nine Black or Latin players on Sept. 1, 1971, in a 10-7 win over Philadelphia. The surviving members of the team say they didn’t know they were making history at the time. Fifty years later, however, they understand the significance of their landmark night. First baseman Al Oliver says the lineup that night showed the “unity” the team had in the clubhouse. The 1971 Pirates went on to beat Baltimore in the World Series.

Grandal, Abreu power White Sox to 4-2 win over Pirates
By MARK GONZALES Associated Press
Yasmani Grandal and Jose Abreu homered, and five relievers combined for 4 2/3 innings of two-hit ball as the Chicago White Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Tuesday night. The Sox hold a 10-game lead in the AL Central and won for the fourth time in five games. The Pirates lost for the fourth time in six games. Michael Kopech (4-2) picked up the win. Bryse Wilson (2-6) took the loss.

Last-place Pirates fire hitting coach Rick Eckstein
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The last-place Pittsburgh Pirates have fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein. The Pirates have struggled to produce offense all season. Pittsburgh is dead last in the majors in runs scored, home runs, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging. The Pirates are also 27th in the majors in batting average and are on their way to a third straight fifth-place finish in the NL Central. The team is in the early stages of a franchise-wide reboot under general manager Ben Cherington. Eckstein had little to work with at the major league level while the organization focuses on stockpiling prospects.