Esmerlyn Valdez’s Huge Game Lifts Pirates to Comeback Win Over Brewers

Brewers Pirates Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez, left, celebrates as he rounds the bases past Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers after hitting a grand slam home run off Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby during the seventh inning of the first game of a baseball double header in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By Danny Demilio

PITTSBURRGH — This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW.com.

Esmerlyn Valdez hit a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam to lift the Pirates to a 7-6 win over the Brewers at PNC Park in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

Key Moments

After the Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth, Gregory Soto got his 12th save of the season by getting Andrew Vaughn to bounce into a game-ending double play. Vaughn hit a grounder to third baseman Nick Gonzales, who stepped on third and threw home for the third out.

Player of the Game

Esmerlyn Valdez’s first-career grand slam was part of his first-career multi-homer game.

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