Pittsburgh Pirates News & Notes 05/21/2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates currently hold a 25-24 record and sit fifth in the NL Central standings. Over the last 24 hours, the club ended a frustrating four-game losing streak. They achieved this by delivering a dominant 7-0 shutout victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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MLB Game Recap

Pittsburgh blanked St. Louis 7-0 behind 15 hits and a combined five-pitcher shutout. Starter Carmen Mlodzinski earned the win. He pitched 5 innings, allowed 0 earned runs, gave up 4 hits, struck out 1, and threw 95 pitches. The bullpen provided scoreless relief from Yohan Ramirez, Evan Sisk, Justin Lawrence, and Dennis Santana. The turning point occurred in the sixth when Ramirez escaped a bases-loaded jam. Jake Mangum made a sliding catch. This was followed by a four-run eighth inning that sealed the rout.

Standout Performer

Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin led the charge, finishing 4-for-5 with three runs scored in the victory. Griffin tallied four singles, raising his May batting average to .343. His consistent presence on the basepaths allowed him to score in three separate innings, directly fueling the Pirates’ scoring rallies.

Key News & Notes

Farm Report

• Triple-A: Esmerlyn Valdez (2-for-6, 2 HR, 3 RBI) powered Indianapolis to a doubleheader split with Toledo, winning the nightcap 3-2. Valdez has reached 10 home runs this season.
• Double-A: Javier Rivas went 3-for-4 with a home run and a triple in Altoona’s 10-6 loss to Erie. Rivas ignited a late offensive surge with a solo shot in the seventh inning.
• High-A: Yordany De Los Santos went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Greensboro’s 19-8 loss to Winston-Salem. His blast was a rare bright spot in a lopsided defeat.
• Single-A: Edgleen Perez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Bradenton’s 4-1 loss to Lakeland. His first-inning home run accounted for the team’s only run.
• Rookie: FCL Pirates did not have a game scheduled