Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana collects himself in the mound during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH — Joey Bart hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning, lifting the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves to a 3-0 win over his former team on Wednesday after Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jared Jones pitched six perfect innings before being lifted.

Bart, traded to the Braves from the Pirates on June 18, followed a double by Mike Yastrzemski with a 422-foot drive to left-centerfield off a slider from Dennis Santana (2-4). Drake Baldwin added an RBI single to center in the ninth.

Jones struck out eight on 77 pitches, including 53 strikes, to lower his ERA to 4.37 from 5.28. His bid was nearly ended by Bart with one out in the third, but a long drive to left was caught at the wall by Bryan Reynolds.

The 24-year-old Jones hasn’t thrown more than 81 pitches in eight starts since returning May 20 after missing all of last season after undergoing an ulnar collateral ligament internal brace surgery on May 21, 2025.

He entered the game 1-1 with a 5.28 ERA in eight starts. Jones returned May 20 after missing all of last season following ulnar collateral ligament internal brace surgery on May 21, 2025.

A second-round pick in the 2020 MLB draft, Jones is 7-9 with a 4.36 ERA in two seasons in the majors.

There have been 24 perfect games in major league history. Most recently, Domingo Germán struck out nine in an 11-0 win for the New York Yankees against the Athletics at Oakland Coliseum on June 28, 2023.

On May 25, the Houston Astros provided the latest of 327 no-hitters in the history of the majors. Tatsuya Imai walked four and struck out two in the first six innings of a 9-0 win against the Texas Rangers before Steven Okert walked one in his only inning inning and Alimber Santa was perfect in the final two.

Mason Montgomery relieved Jones to start the seventh inning, getting Michael Harris II to ground to first before yielding a single to left by Ozzie Albies with one out. He struck out Matt Olson and Baldwin to end the inning.

Dylan Dodd (1-0) was perfect for Atlanta in the bottom of the seventh and earned the win. Raisel Iglesias struck out two in the ninth for his 18th save.

Braves starter Grant Holmes lasted five innings, giving up three hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

The Pirates left men on base in each of the first four innings. In the third, they had two in scoring position after Reynolds stole second following a two-out single. Holmes forced Jared Triolo to ground to third, ending the threat.

On deck

Today: Atlanta at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

Pitchers: Braves RHP Bryce Elder (5-6) vs. Bucs RHP Mitch Keller (6-6)

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh