Esmerlyn Valdez delivered a go-ahead grand slam to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-6 win against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
Braxton Ashcraft allowed five runs of five hits and struck out six in five innings for the Pirates. Gregory Soto got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth for the save.
Brewers starter Brandon Sproat surrendered three runs on two hits, fanning three, before he was lifted after the third.
Valdez, who had six RBIs, connected for his second home run of the game in the seventh to put Pittsburgh ahead 7-6. Henry Davis singled against Chad Patrick, who was then replaced by Aaron Ashby (12-2).
Ashby gave up back-to-back singles to load the bases before Valdez mashed a sinker to right.
Down a run, Milwaukee rallied in the fifth to grab the lead.
Luis Lara doubled and then scored to tie the game 3-3, when Cooper Pratt followed with a double of his own.
Sal Frelick launched a two-run shot to the right field deck to put the Brewers ahead 5-3.
They added another in the seventh off Carmen Mlodzinski (6-3). William Contreras knocked a single to bring Garrett Mitchell in from second and make it 6-3.
The Pirates capitalized on a shaky start by Sproat to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Sproat caught Jake Mangum with a fastball off the foot to lead off the frame and, two batters later, a curveball dipped down and grazed off Bryan Reynolds’ left foot. Valdez followed with a single that drove in Mangum.
Reynolds and Valdez each advanced on a wild pitch before Reynolds came scored on a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on a hit from Nick Gonzales.
The Brewers responded in the second. After Contreras opened with a double to left, Jake Bauers hit a home run to right field to tie the game.
Pittsburgh went ahead 3-2 the bottom of the third when Valdez smashed a two-out cutter to dead center for his eighth home run of the season.
