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Pirates Edge Giants 13-12 in Nine-Inning Thriller

The San Francisco Giants led 11-5 in the third but could not hold on. Pittsburgh's offense surged in the eighth, and a ninth-inning error sealed the win.

Briar Keller

September 2, 20262 min read

baseball tension - illustration, Jake Team LLC
MLBFinal
San Francisco Giants12
Pittsburgh Pirates13

September 1, 2026

The San Francisco Giants found themselves trailing late in a chaotic contest at PNC Park, ultimately falling 13-12 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The visitors built a commanding lead in the third inning, scoring six runs to take a 9-5 advantage, but the home team mounted a furious comeback to steal the victory in the final frame.

With an attendance of 11,814, the game featured two home runs and a defensive miscue that decided the outcome.

Early Lead and Third-Inning Surge

San Francisco took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning before Pittsburgh tied the game at two runs in the second. The Pirates briefly took a 5-2 lead on a three-run homer by Devers, but the Giants responded with a massive third-inning rally. Cruz, Davis, Horwitz, and Reynolds all contributed to the scoring sequence, pushing the Giants ahead 9-5.

The Pirates added one run in the sixth to make it 6-9, and the Giants extended their lead to 11-7 in the seventh on a solo homer by Lowe. By the end of the seventh, the visitors led 12-7.

The Eighth-Inning Comeback

Pittsburgh erased the deficit in the eighth inning. Basabe walked to score, followed by hits from Cavanaugh and Furman that brought in two runs each. The Pirates tied the game at 12-12 with two outs, setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion.

The pitching staffs struggled to contain the opposing offenses, with the Giants' Logan Webb allowing nine hits and nine earned runs over two innings.

Final Inning and Records

In the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates had the lead but the Giants had the opportunity to tie it. However, the final play saw Lowe score on a throwing error by third baseman Basabe, giving Pittsburgh the 13-12 win. Mason Montgomery secured the save, pitching one inning with two hits, zero earned runs, and no walks.

The Giants' Carson Seymour took the loss. After the game, the Pirates improved to 68-71, while the Giants fell to 57-82.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816762

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Briar Keller

Briar Keller covers Saratoga high school and area college sports.

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