Pirates stun Giants 5-4 on Aug 5, 2025! Jack Suwinski's homer and Isiah Kiner-Falefa's walk-off sealed a thrilling ninth-inning comeback. Recap inside.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when it looked like the San Francisco Giants had the game locked down, the Pittsburgh Pirates ripped the script to shreds. In a wild ninth-inning finish, Isiah Kiner-Falefa delivered a walk-off fielder's choice, sending a roaring PNC Park crowd home happy with a 5-4 victory and reminding everyone that this team simply doesn't quit.
Jack Suwinski ignited the comeback with a two-run homer in the seventh and scored the winning run in the ninth.
Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, the comeback felt improbable but not impossible. The rally started with grit, culminating in a clutch RBI single from Joey Bart to tie the game. With the bases loaded and the pressure mounting, Jack Suwinski, who had already played hero once, dashed home on Isiah Kiner-Falefa's ground ball. The throw was late, the stadium erupted, and the Bucs poured out of the dugout to celebrate a hard-earned victory.
None of the late-game heroics would have been possible without Jack Suwinski. With the Pirates' offense sputtering, Suwinski stepped to the plate in the seventh inning and launched a two-run blast off reliever Carson Seymour. The homer cut the Giants' lead to 4-3, breathing new life into the dugout and the stands. Suwinski wasn't done, as he would later score the winning run, capping a signature performance.
While the win was thrilling, the night began on an emotional note with the return of Johan Oviedo. Making his first MLB start since September 2023 after Tommy John surgery, the big right-hander's comeback was a monumental step. The results were rocky—a 42-pitch first inning where he allowed two runs on two hits and three walks—but the box score doesn't tell the whole story. This was about knocking off nearly two years of rust and beginning the journey back to being a key piece of the rotation. It's a process, and Monday night was step one.
Following Oviedo's short outing, the Pirates' bullpen had to be nearly perfect, and they delivered. The exclamation point was Dauri Moreta, who pitched a clean and efficient top of the ninth to keep the game tied. In just his second appearance of the season, Moreta was rewarded for his sharp work by earning the win, a testament to the club's pitching depth. Solid contributions from Spencer Horwitz (two hits) and Nick Gonzales (sac fly) also proved crucial in the narrow victory.
The Pirates will look to carry this momentum and their home winning streak into the next game. It'll be a tough test as rookie righty Mike Burrows is slated to face Giants ace Logan Webb. Can the young Bucs squad rise to the challenge and secure a series win against a formidable opponent? After a night like this, you can't count them out.
