The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t have scripted a better send-off into the All-Star break — winning five straight to close the first half at 50 and 47.
The story of the weekend was rookie Esmerlyn Valdez, who absolutely went off against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in Saturday’s doubleheader sweep at PNC Park. Valdez hit three home runs and drove in eight runs in the two games — including a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning of the opener. The kid now has ten home runs and twenty-six R-B-I in just twenty-seven career games.
Sunday, Paul Skenes tossed five and a third strong innings as Pittsburgh blew out Milwaukee fourteen to five — capping a three-game sweep heading into the break.
On the All-Star front — both Skenes and Braxton Ashcraft represent Pittsburgh at the Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia Tuesday night at eight on FOX. No Pirates in the Home Run Derby — but catch that Monday night at eight on Netflix.
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