Full Breakdown
Pirates Rally Late for Walk-Off Win Over Tigers
8/20/2026, 8:00:43 AM
Game Summary
The Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Detroit Tigers 4–3 on a Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park. After falling behind 2–1 in the fifth, the Pirates tied the game in the ninth when rookie catcher Rafael Flores Jr. launched a 431-foot solo homer off Tigers closer Kenley Jansen. Two batters later, second baseman Brandon Lowe delivered a 359-foot walk-off blast that struck the right-field foul pole, giving Pittsburgh its fourth walk-off victory of the season and a second straight series win.
Key Performances & Statistics
- Brandon Lowe – 1-for-3 with a walk-off home run (359 ft), his seventh career walk-off RBI and second of the season.
- Rafael Flores Jr. – 2-for-2 with two solo homers (422 ft and 431 ft), the first Pirate to hit a pair of homers after entering as a bench player.
- Paul Skenes – 4 1/3 innings, four hits, three runs, four walks, five strikeouts on 81 pitches. Since mid-May his ERA over 16 starts is 5.05 with a 3–10 record. This was his sixth outing this season in which he failed to reach five innings.
- Mason Montgomery – earned the win with a scoreless ninth.
- Gregory Soto – entered in the fifth with runners on the corners; allowed a go-ahead double before the comeback.
Manager and Player Reactions
Pirates manager Don Kelly praised Flores’s impact, noting the bench player “brought us within one” and called the walk-off “a wild celebration” that lifted the team after Skenes’s short start. He also complimented Soto’s relief work and the defensive relay that prevented additional runs.
Pitcher Paul Skenes said he felt “out of sync” after the extra rest but remained confident his walk rate would improve and emphasized his focus on “attacking hitters.”
Catcher Henry Davis left with a wrist injury; the Pirates later added veteran catcher Christian Bethancourt as insurance.
Background on Skenes’s Recent Usage
Following a shortened start against Miami, the Pirates placed Skenes on an 85-pitch limit, pulling him after 81 pitches in this game. His fastball velocity has ticked upward, averaging 96.8 mph, but command remains erratic, as shown by four walks in this outing and three in his previous start. The team’s strategy of granting extra rest aims to restore the form that earned Skenes a unanimous Cy Young Award last season.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I mean, crazy. I think you guys should be talking to ‘Flo’ and not talking to me,” — Brandon Lowe
- “I thought Soto did a really nice job,” — Don Kelly, Pirates manager
