Pirates’ bullpen succeeds
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CHICAGO (AP) -- Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a solo shot, rookie Konnor Griffin singled in two runs in Pittsburgh's three-run seventh inning and the Pirates held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Wednesday night for their third straight win.
Rafael Flores Jr. added an RBI single to help the Pirates win for the eighth time in 10 games to climb back to .500.
Pittsburgh used eight pitchers to hand the White Sox a second straight loss and their seventh in their last 10.
Yohan Ramirez, Pittsburgh's sixth pitcher, entered and got Miguel Vargas to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded and the Pirates up 4-1.
Chicago's Munetaka Murakami hit his 31st homer in the eighth to cut it to 4-2. The White Sox loaded the bases off Luke Weaver with one out in the eighth, but Chase Meidroth lined into a double-play.
Pirates opener Lake Bachar got the first five outs. Brandon Eisert (3-2) followed with 2• innings of hitless ball. He struck out five, for the win.
Carmen Mlodzinski, Soto, Camilo Doval, Ramirez and Weaver followed before Mason Montgomery pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save
White Sox starter Davis Martin (9-7) allowed one run, on Valdez's 17th homer in the fifth, and four hits in five innings in his second start since coming off the injured list from a tight middle finger blister.
Up next
The Pirates were set to send RHP Jared Jones (3-6, 4.46 ERA) to the mound Thursday in the series finale. The White Sox has not announced their starter.