Tigers by the tail: Pirates sweep first-place Detroit
MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Trending
PITTSBURGH -- Spencer Horwitz hit his first career grand slam and Bailey Falter matched a career-high with eight strikeouts to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-1 win and sweep of the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
Horwitz drove a two-out cutter from Troy Melton (0-1) 416 feet to centerfield to make it 5-0.
Andrew McCutchen opened the scoring in the first with his ninth homer of the season.
Bryan Reynolds led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly from Oneil Cruz in the third inning.
Falter (7-5) gave up one run on four hits without issuing a walk in seven innings, going more than 5 1/3 for the first time since May 31.
Lasting five innings in his major league debut, Melton allowed six runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Matt Vierling provided Detroit's lone run with a single in the seventh that scored Spencer Torkelson.
Key moment
After walking Joey Bart to load the bases with one out in the second, Melton had a way out of the jam when he struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa on three pitches ahead of Horwitz. He started with a cutter in the dirt before coming back with another that Horwitz took deep.
Part of history
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, the Pirates became the first team since 1980 to get swept by a team with the worst record in a league and then sweep a team with the best record in consecutive 3-plus game series at least 80 contests into a season.
The last time it occurred was when the San Diego Padres swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980, who had best record in the National League, before being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, who had the worst record in the NL.
Key stat
The Tigers have lost nine of their last 10 games since July 9.
Sign them up
The Pirates signed nine more players on Wednesday, including Gustavo Melendez, a fourth-round shortstop out of Colegio la Merced in Puerto Rico, Adonys Guzman, a fifth-round catcher out of Arizona University, Josh State, an eighth-round outfielder out of Georgia Southern, Dylan Palmer, an 11th-round second baseman from Hofstra, Cameron Keshock, a 12th-round pitcher from Samford University, Eddie King, a 16th-round outfielder out of Louisville, Canon Reeder, a 19th-round outfielder from Oregon State, Brandon Cain, a pitcher out of Oklahoma, and pitcher Draven Zeigler, a free agent signee from LSU-Shreveport.
Up next
Tigers: RHP Reese Olson (4-3, 2.71 ERA) will start today to open a four-game home series against Toronto. LHP Eric Lauer (5-2, 2.80 ERA) will go for the Blue Jays.
Pirates: RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 4.70 ERA) will take the mound Friday as Pittsburgh stays home for three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks.