The Pittsburgh Pirates rallied past the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at PNC Park, erasing an early deficit in a division game that required six pitchers and a big night from catcher Henry Davis to seal. Davis went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI, providing the kind of punch Pittsburgh needed after Milwaukee's Kyle Harrison imploded early and the bullpen battle took center stage. Khristian Curtis earned the win, Mason Montgomery locked it down for the save, and the Pirates walked away with a three-run victory that was anything but comfortable.

Henry Davis Powers Pittsburgh Offense Early

Davis was the standout bat in the Pirates lineup. His home run did significant damage against Harrison, who lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two. Pittsburgh jumped on the Brewers starter and built a lead that, despite some anxious moments later in the game, they never fully surrendered.

For Milwaukee, Sal Frelick went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Bo Naylor hit a solo home run while driving in two runs on 1-for-3 hitting, keeping the Brewers within striking distance. But Pittsburgh's bullpen ultimately had enough answers.

Pitching Staff Cobbles Together a Complete Game

The Pirates needed every arm in the bullpen. Wilber Dotel opened and gave Pittsburgh two innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, and a walk while striking out two. Khristian Curtis followed with 3.1 innings of work — three strikeouts, one earned run, one hit, and three walks — and earned the win in the process.

Luke Weaver had a rough stretch, giving up two earned runs on three hits in just 0.2 innings and threatening to hand momentum back to Milwaukee. But Gregory Soto bridged the gap with 0.2 innings of scoreless relief, and Camilo Doval delivered a clean inning with two strikeouts to keep Pittsburgh ahead.

Mason Montgomery closed it out with 1.1 innings, striking out two and allowing no hits — though he did issue two walks. He earned the save. It was a grind-it-out performance from a bullpen that had to navigate trouble at multiple points.

Garrett Stallings Kept Pittsburgh Quiet in the Middle Innings

While Pittsburgh's offense did enough damage early, Milwaukee reliever Garrett Stallings was the story from the other side. Stallings struck out six over three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk. His outing kept the Brewers in the game long enough to make things uncomfortable, but Aaron Ashby gave up two earned runs in the eighth inning on two hits and a walk, and Pittsburgh pushed its lead to 7-4, which proved to be the final margin.

Turning Point: The Eighth Inning

With Milwaukee still within reach heading into the eighth, Ashby's struggles allowed Pittsburgh to extend the lead to three runs. That cushion gave Montgomery the room he needed to close things out despite the two walks he issued. The three-run margin in the final frame proved to be decisive.

What's Next for the Pirates

  • Pittsburgh continues its home stand at PNC Park with the division-rival Brewers series ongoing.
  • The bullpen workload will be worth watching — six arms were needed Thursday, and some of those pitchers worked in high-leverage situations.
  • Henry Davis's production at the plate is a positive development Pittsburgh will look to build on.
  • Khristian Curtis solidified his value as a bridge arm, delivering 3.1 innings when the Pirates needed length.

The Pirates took care of business against a division opponent on Thursday. It wasn't always clean — the bullpen had its shaky moments and Milwaukee had the bats to make a push — but Pittsburgh got the job done, 7-4.