Pirates fall apart in sixth inning, lose second in a row to White Sox

Matt Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jul 19, 2025

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — Few sequences have better-encapsulated the Pirates season.

Tied 4-4 Saturday night at PNC Park, Chicago White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman lined a three-run, bases-clearing double to right-center field. Oneil Cruz crashed into the wall and gingerly rose to his feet after lying on the warning track for a few unsettling moments. “Sell the team” chants broke out seemingly in unison.

Chase Meidroth knocked an RBI single on the following at-bat to continue the nightmare inning, and the Pirates ultimately fell, 10-4, to lose their second in a row to Chicago, and their 10th in the past 11 games.

In front of just the third sellout crowd of the season, boosted by a Mac Miller bobblehead giveaway, the Pirates (39-60) fell apart after a three-run fourth inning and strong start from Mike Burrows. Chicago combined for eight runs after Burrows was pulled, including a six-run sixth.

Eight White Sox batters tallied at least one hit and six had at least one RBI. Though the Pirates had some success at the plate — totaling 10 hits and four runs off Adrian Houser through 4 1/3 innings — they still squandered some opportunities.

Cruz led off the bottom of the second with a triple, but the next three Pirates were retired. The Pirates haven’t eclipsed four runs in a game since July 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, but the bullpen was far more costly than the offensive production Saturday night.

The White Sox (34-65), who rank as the third-worst statistical offense in the league, have scored 20 runs and totaled 24 hits in the past two games.

It was over when ...

Tauchman cleared the bases with a three-run double in the sixth. The ballpark’s energy, both for the fans and players, seemed completely sapped.

On the mound

Burrows was in complete control for his first four innings of work — holding Chicago without a hit or run and striking out four — and despite cooling off in the fifth, still turned in a solid outing. He gave up two runs with two outs in back-to-back at-bats but eliminated any further damage to maintain the Pirates’ lead after five.

However, the White Sox immediately pounced on reliever Caleb Ferguson in the sixth. They tallied four consecutive hits, all with one out, to plate two tying runs and end Ferguson’s night in a hurry. Isaac Mattson took over and things snowballed further.

He plunked the first batter he saw and the White Sox scored four runs on two hits before Mattson was lifted for Carmen Mlodzinski, who tossed the final 3 1/3 innings of the game and gave up four hits and a pair of runs.

At the plate

The Pirates have had much worse nights offensively. They had difficulties with situational hitting — batting 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position — but still totaled 13 hits and scored four runs. Cruz extended his hitting streak to seven games with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the second.

All but two members of the lineup, Spencer Horwitz and Henry Davis, finished the night with a hit. Four players had multi-hit efforts as Nick Gonzales led the way with three, tied for his second most of the season.

Most valuable player

Lenyn Sosa went 3 for 3 at the plate with a double and three RBIs. He was also walked and hit by a pitch.

Up next

The Pirates will look to avoid a disastrous series sweep at 1:35 p.m. Sunday at PNC Park. Andrew Heaney (4-8, 4.59 ERA) is slated to start for the Pirates, and Aaron Civale (1-6, 5.30 ERA) will toe the rubber for the White Sox.