Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez Makes MLB History in Doubleheader

He got after Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Brandon Sproat in the third inning, crushing a cutter left out over the plate and sending it 108.1 mph off the bat and 421 feet to center field onto the "PIRATES" lawn for a 3-2 lead.

Valdez then faced bases-loaded and one out in the seventh inning, down three runs, but still came through again, taking a 99.2 mph sinker from Brewers left-handed relief pitcher Aaron Ashby over the middle of the plate and hitting it 103.7 mph and 380 feet to right field for an opposite-field grand slam for the 7-6 lead, that gave the Pirates the win.

He took advantage of left-handed pitching in the second game and hit a two-run home run off of Brewers southpaw Shane Drohan in the fourth inning to put the Pirates up 2-0 in the second game.

Valdez waited on the slider and although it cut down and low, he timed it perfectly and hit it 101.1 mph and 385 feet to left field.

Valdez Becoming Massive Part of Pirates Lineup

It's been an incredible run for Valdez and he's now one of the best hitters on the Pirates and maybe their most important bat.

Valdez began this stretch by hitting four home runs over four games, one each game, from June 26-29, becoming one of just six players in MLB history to hit four home runs in their first 16 at-bats and the first Pirates player to hit a home run in four straight games since Corey Dickerson in July 2018.

He has slashed .404/.462/.912 for an OPS of 1.374 in his past 15 games, with 23 hits in 57 at-bats, three doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 20 RBI and seven walks to 19 strikeouts.

Valdez is now batting .311/.370/.722 for an OPS of 1.092 in 27 games, with 28 hits in 90 at-bats, five doubles, the triple, 10 home runs and 26 RBI.

He is now one of just four players in MLB history to hit 10+ home runs and 27+ RBI at 22 years old or younger, along with George Scott of the Boston Red Sox in 1966 and both Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves and Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros in 2019, per Just Baseball.

His play helped the Pirates get two big wins and move up to 49-47 and gives them a chance to go and sweep the Brewers, getting to 50 wins at the All-Star break and keeping their National League Wild Card hopes alive.