Pirates Offense Awakens Against Left-Handed Pitching
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For much of the 2026 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had a glaring weakness: hitting left-handed pitching. Entering Friday night's series opener against the Boston Red Sox, the Pirates carried a 10-26 record when facing a left-handed starting pitcher and had gone just 2-9 since the All-Star break against southpaw starters.
Their .244 average and .689 OPS against lefties told the story of an offense that often sputtered when the opposing manager went to his bullpen.
But on Friday, for at least one night at PNC Park, the script flipped.
Facing Red Sox rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, who entered the game with a 3.17 ERA on the season, the Pirates' bats came alive. Bennett had been electric from mid-June through mid-July, posting a 1.17 ERA over a six-start stretch, but his recent form has been less dominant. Since July 22, the lefty had compiled a 5.67 ERA, and Friday's outing continued that trend.
Bennett lasted just four innings, surrendering four earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out six. He threw 82 pitches, 52 for strikes, but the Pirates made him work and capitalized when it mattered most. Three of those runs came in the fourth inning, and by the time Bennett exited, Pittsburgh had already built a lead it would not relinquish.
The Pirates weren't done with left-handed pitching. When Boston turned to fellow left-hander Jovani Morán in relief, Pittsburgh continued its assault. Morán, who entered the game with a 2.52 ERA on the season, was tagged for three earned runs on two hits over just one inning of work. The Pirates feasted on the lefty reliever, turning a close game into an 8-4 victory.
Offensive Outbursts
The victory gave Pittsburgh back-to-back wins following a four-game losing streak. It's the first time they've won consecutive games since July 26 and 27.
Rafael Flores Jr. continued his torrid stretch, homering for the third consecutive game. The rookie catcher, who had blasted two home runs on Thursday and another on Friday night, is now batting .294 with four home runs and 10 RBIs on the season in just 34 at-bats. His solo shot on Friday came in the second inning off Bennett, extending his streak of home runs in three straight at-bats dating back to the previous game.
Brandon Lowe also got in on the action, adding a home run of his own. It was Lowe's team-leading 26th home run of the year. The second baseman has been one of the Pirates' most productive hitters all season, and his power against lefties provided a much-needed complement to Flores Jr.'s breakout. The Pirates finished with nine hits as a team, spreading the production up and down the lineup.
Third baseman Nick Gonzales, a key cog in the offense this season, had to leave the game in the fourth inning after being hit in the head by a pitch. He appeared to be okay but was removed for concussion precautions.
The offensive outburst is particularly significant given Pittsburgh's recent struggles. The team had lost seven straight series coming out of the All-Star break and had fallen six games below .500.
Manager Don Kelly had been blunt about the team's shortcomings, saying after a recent loss against the Marlins, "We have to compete. Today was not good enough". The Pirates had scored just three runs total over their previous three games, making the explosion from the last two days all the more critical.
Southpaw Struggles
The Pirates' struggles against left-handed pitching have been well-documented. The bulk of their established talent bats from the left side, including key players like Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, Oneil Cruz, and Spencer Horwitz, all of whom are weaker against southpaws.
Esmerlyn Valdez's outbreak from the right-hadned side kept the team alive in July, but he has fallen back to earth recently. The team simply does not have many right-handed power bats, making their lineup vulnerable when opponents deploy left-handed starters or relievers.
That weakness is reflected in the numbers: Pittsburgh has struck out more times against left-handed pitchers than any other team in baseball this season, with 222 strikeouts entering Friday's action.
But Friday night was different. The Pirates showed they could hit lefties, and they did it against two of Boston's best left-handed arms.
While their playoff hopes remain on life support, the team's ability to solve its left-handed pitching problem, even for one night, is a positive sign. The Pirates will look to make it three straight wins as they continue their series against the Red Sox on Saturday.
It's back to a right-handed starter (Sonny Gray) for Boston, but Pittsburgh is trying to prove that it doesn't matter which side of the mound the ball is coming from.
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Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.