Pirates Fall to Guardians in Series Opener
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates saw their comeback attempt vs. the Cleveland Guardians at PNC Park fall short, losing the series opener, 10-7.
The Pirates end a chance at a first winning streak, as they beat the Washinton Nationals in back-to-back games, 6-1 on April 16 and 1-0 on April 17, both also at PNC Park. They also fall to 8-13 on the season.
Cleveland Guardians had right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz start vs. the Pirates, who traded him back in December for first baseman Spencer Horwitz, who is currently injured.
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz started things off for the home team with a first pitch, leadoff opposite home run to left field, taking a 1-0 lead.
A LO PROFUNDOOO 💣 pic.twitter.com/gh1qe75bCZ
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 18, 2025
Pirates starting right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski got through the first two innings scoreless, before giving up a solo lead-off home run to Guardians catcher Bo Naylor.
Bo my! He got all of that.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/79kjQhaDVb
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) April 18, 2025
Mlodzinski got two quick outs, but then allowed back-to-back singles to Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas and third baseman José Ramírez.
Designated hitter Kyle Manzardo would hit a double, which scored Thomas, but the Pirates got Ramírez out at home, as the Guardians took a 2-1 lead.
Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen and first baseman Enmanuel Valdez both walked with one out and then catcher Joey Bart would single, scoring McCutchen and tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning.
Mlodzinksi allowed two singles to the first three Guardians batters in the fourth inning, right fielder Nolan Jones and first baseman Carlos Santana.
Naylor then hit a double of Mlodzinski, scoring both Jones and Santana, giving him three RBIs in the contest and a 4-2 lead for Cleveland.
Mlodzinski would allow a leadoff double to Ramírez in the fifth inning and Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton ended his night, bringing in left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz.
Wentz got Manzardo to line out to Cruz in center, but not before Ramírez would steal third base. Santana hit a slow roller to Pirates third baseman Jared Triolo, who didn't get his glove on the ball, allowing Ramírez to score and make it 5-2 on the error.
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas took over in the top of the seventh inning for the Pirates, but quickly allowed a single to Thomas and walked Ramírez and Santana with one out.
Guardians pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel and infielder Gabriel Arias would hit back-to-back doubles off of Nicolas, bringing in four runs and increasing the Cleveland lead to 9-2.
Left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza came in for the Pirates, but then he gave up a single to Naylor and the Guardians scored a run off a sacrifice fly from shortstop Brayan Rocchio, extending their advantage to 10-2.
The Pirates got some offense in the bottom of the seventh inning, as right fielder Bryan Reynolds hit a solo shot and after McCutchen hit a slow roller to make it to first base, Valdez hit a two-run home run to center field, cutting the deficit to 10-5.
Pittsburgh shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa opened the bottom of the ninth with a double and Cruz would follow him up with a single.
Reynolds came through with another single, scoring Kiner-Falefa and trimming the deficit to 10-6.
McCutchen would pop out for the first out, but Valdez hit a ball that bounced off the left field wall fair for a double.
Cruz scored to make it a three-run game, but Reynolds got tagged out at third base for the second out.
The Guardians brought in three-time American League saves leader in right-handed closer Emmanuel Clase in afterwards.
Clase walked Bart, but struckout Pirates left fielder Jack Suwinski and ensured the win for the Guardians.
Pittsburgh will face Cleveland again, with Paul Skenes making his fifth start of the season on April 18. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.