Pirates Bash Red Sox with Brandon Lowe’s Three-Run Blast

The Pittsburgh Pirates reminded the Boston Red Sox why you don’t bring a knife to a slugfest, dismantling Jake Bennett‘s labored pitching performance to secure an 8-4 victory on Friday night at PNC Park. This wasn’t a particularly close affair despite what the final score might suggest, and the Pirates proved once again that their lineup has genuine pop when they connect.

Lowe’s Lumber Decides It Early

Brandon Lowe was the story of the evening, crushing a three-run home run in the fifth inning that essentially put this game to bed. That blast, his 26th of the season, came off a Red Sox pitching staff that looked thoroughly overmatched from the second inning onward. Lowe’s three RBIs proved to be the difference maker, and his swing was picture perfect, according to the bat tracking technology that captured every brutal detail of his assault on Bennett’s fastball.

The Pirates got to Bennett early and often. Rafael Flores Jr., who finished 3-for-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs, started the scoring with a solo shot in the second inning. Then in the fourth, Esmerlyn Valdez delivered a sharp two-run double down the line, and Flores followed with an RBI single. By the time Lowe stepped up in the fifth, the Red Sox were staring at a 5-2 deficit they simply couldn’t overcome.

Chandler Efficient, Bennett Ineffective

Bubba Chandler was nothing short of masterful for Pittsburgh, working five solid innings while allowing just four hits and two runs. He struck out five Red Sox batters, including a particularly nasty whiff on Adley Rutschman, and never really seemed to be in trouble. The kid threw strikes, attacked the zone, and made Boston’s hitters look downright foolish at times. This is the kind of outing that wins ballgames, and the Pirates’ pitching deserves credit for putting together a complete evening.

Bennett, meanwhile, lasted just four innings and gave up five hits and four runs. He struck out six batters, which sounds respectable until you realize he was getting shelled when he wasn’t missing bats. For a team with Boston’s aspirations, getting that kind of performance from your starting pitcher on a Friday night is unacceptable. The Red Sox offense tried to claw back, with Nick Sogard driving in two runs and Masataka Yoshida adding one late, but it was far too little and far too late.

The Pirates’ defense was sharp too, executing a slick double steal in the fifth inning that epitomized their aggressive, confident brand of baseball. Mason Montgomery came in for the save situation and retired the side without incident, sealing a convincing victory that sends Boston back to Fenway with their tail between their legs.

This was a statement win for Pittsburgh. They showed they can match power with power, they pitched well enough to win, and they played the kind of clean, aggressive baseball that wins division titles. The Red Sox, meanwhile, left this ballpark with more questions than answers about whether Bennett can be trusted as a starter down the stretch.