The game was decided before Boston's lineup ever got comfortable. Pittsburgh scored two runs in the first inning and five more in the third, and by the time the Red Sox found their footing, they were staring at a 0-7 hole. The Pirates went on to win 8-3 at PNC Park.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| PIT | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 8 | 11 | 0 |
Nick Yorke drove in three runs on a 2-for-4 night, including a two-run single in the third inning that scored Lowe and Reynolds. Bryan Reynolds added two hits, two runs and two RBI, doubling home Valdez in the first and singling home Triolo in the third. Brandon Lowe chipped in two hits and two RBI of his own, while Esmerlyn Valdez scored twice.
Pittsburgh's third-inning outburst was relentless. Reynolds' single brought home Triolo, then Lowe's single scored Valdez, and Yorke's two-run single brought in Lowe and Reynolds to make it 0-6. Henry Davis capped the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Mangum. The Pirates added a seventh-inning run when Yorke singled home Flores Jr.
Boston's only sustained response came in the fifth, when Connor Wong homered to left center, scoring Duran and Seigler to cut the deficit to 3-7. Patrick Sandoval took the loss, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits over 4.0 innings while striking out six. Lake Bachar started for Pittsburgh and worked 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits with 4 strikeouts, and Kirby Yates closed with a scoreless inning to secure the win, his first of the season.
Pittsburgh's bullpen covered 6.0 innings and allowed 3 runs while Boston's lone reliever worked 4.0 innings with 1 run allowed. The Pirates improved to 61-65, snapping their prior skid with a first win in their current streak, while the Red Sox fell to 66-58.