The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers 4–2 on September 27, 2026, at Comerica Park. Pittsburgh finished with seven hits, while Detroit managed three. Konnor Griffin opened the scoring with a leadoff home run and finished with two hits and two RBIs. Jake Mangum also contributed an RBI single.
The win gave Pittsburgh its first winning season since 2018, finishing the year with an 82–80 record. Detroit ended the season at 76–86. The game was part of a three-game series in which the Tigers won the first two meetings before Pittsburgh claimed the final game. This article covers the matchup, including the final score, batting and pitching statistics, standout players, and important game highlights.
Quick Answer
The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 4–2 on September 27, 2026, at Comerica Park. Konnor Griffin hit a leadoff home run and recorded two RBIs. Pittsburgh collected seven hits, while Detroit had three. The victory secured the Pirates’ first winning season since 2018.
Pirates vs Tigers Match Overview
The September 27 matchup was the final game of the 2026 regular season for both teams. Pittsburgh entered the game looking to finish above .500, while Detroit aimed to close its season with a home victory.
| Match Detail | Result |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers |
| Date | September 27, 2026 |
| Venue | Comerica Park |
| Final Score | Pirates 4, Tigers 2 |
| Pirates Hits | 7 |
| Tigers Hits | 3 |
| Winning Pitcher | Lake Bachar |
| Losing Pitcher | River Ryan |
| Save | Mason Montgomery |
Pittsburgh scored in the first, second, and fourth innings. Detroit answered with two home runs in the seventh but could not complete the comeback.
Pirates vs Tigers Player Stats
The batting statistics show how Pittsburgh produced its four runs and how Detroit’s two home runs provided its only scoring.
Pittsburgh Pirates Batting Stats
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konnor Griffin | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan O’Hearn | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jared Triolo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bryan Reynolds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ronny Simon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rafael Flores | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Spencer Horwitz | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Nick Gonzales | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Mangum | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Cook | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Konnor Griffin was Pittsburgh’s standout hitter. He finished with two hits, two RBIs, and a home run. His leadoff homer gave the Pirates an early advantage, and he added another RBI with a single in the fourth inning.
Nick Gonzales and Jake Mangum also recorded two hits each. Mangum drove in a run with a second-inning single, while Billy Cook delivered a two-out double that helped extend Pittsburgh’s lead.
Detroit Tigers Batting Stats
| Player | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Clark | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hao-Yu Lee | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kevin McGonigle | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Bryce Malgeri | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riley Greene | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Eduardo Valencia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Brantley Callahan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Spencer Torkelson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jace Jung | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zach McKinstry | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Javier Baez Peck | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kevin McGonigle and Eduardo Valencia provided Detroit’s biggest offensive moments. McGonigle hit a solo home run to open the Tigers’ scoring in the seventh inning. Valencia followed with another solo homer, bringing Detroit within two runs.
McGonigle finished with two hits, one run, and one RBI. Valencia recorded one hit, one run, one RBI, and one home run.
Pirates vs Tigers Pitching Stats
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff limited Detroit to three hits and two runs. Jared Jones started the game, while Lake Bachar earned the win after an effective relief appearance.
| Pitcher | Team | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Jones | Pirates | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Antwone Kelly | Pirates | 2.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Lake Bachar | Pirates | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mason Montgomery | Pirates | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| River Ryan | Tigers | 1.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Beau Brieske | Tigers | 2.2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Jack Flaherty | Tigers | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ty Madden | Tigers | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Jared Jones delivered four scoreless innings and struck out five batters. Lake Bachar followed with 1.2 scoreless innings and four strikeouts, earning the win. Mason Montgomery handled the ninth inning and secured his 18th save.
River Ryan took the loss after allowing three hits and two earned runs in 1.1 innings. Detroit’s bullpen kept the Pirates from adding to their lead after the fourth inning, but the early deficit proved difficult to overcome.
Who Were the Top Performers in Pirates vs Tigers?
Several players delivered important performances in the final game of the season.
Konnor Griffin – Pittsburgh Pirates
Griffin led the Pirates’ offense with two hits, one home run, and two RBIs. His first-inning homer gave Pittsburgh an immediate lead, and his fourth-inning RBI single added another run.
Nick Gonzales – Pittsburgh Pirates
Gonzales collected two hits and scored once. His contribution helped Pittsburgh create scoring opportunities throughout the game.
Jake Mangum – Pittsburgh Pirates
Mangum recorded two hits and one RBI. His second-inning single helped the Pirates move ahead by two runs.
Kevin McGonigle – Detroit Tigers
McGonigle recorded two hits, including a solo home run. He finished with 18 home runs, 97 runs, and 95 walks during the season, making his performance one of the notable highlights of Detroit’s year.
Eduardo Valencia – Detroit Tigers
Valencia hit his eighth home run of the season. His seventh-inning homer made the score 4–2 and gave the Tigers a chance to make the game closer.
How Did the Pirates Beat the Tigers?
Pittsburgh won by scoring early and preventing Detroit from building a comeback. The Pirates scored once in the first inning, added another run in the second, and scored twice in the fourth.
Detroit struggled to produce hits during the first six innings. The Tigers finally scored in the seventh when McGonigle and Valencia hit consecutive home runs. However, Pittsburgh’s bullpen stopped the rally and protected the two-run lead.
The main reasons for the Pirates’ victory were:
- Early home run: Griffin’s leadoff homer gave Pittsburgh an immediate advantage.
- Consistent hitting: The Pirates finished with seven hits compared with Detroit’s three.
- Strong relief pitching: Bachar and Montgomery kept the Tigers from scoring again.
- Limited scoring opportunities: Detroit could not turn its few baserunners into a larger rally.
Pirates vs Tigers Inning-by-Inning Score
The inning breakdown shows when each team scored during the nine-inning game.
| Inning | Pirates | Tigers |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | 0 |
| 2nd | 1 | 0 |
| 3rd | 0 | 0 |
| 4th | 2 | 0 |
| 5th | 0 | 0 |
| 6th | 0 | 0 |
| 7th | 0 | 2 |
| 8th | 0 | 0 |
| 9th | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 2 |
Pittsburgh scored all four runs during the first four innings. Detroit answered with two home runs in the seventh, but neither team scored during the final two innings.
What Was the Final Result of the 2026 Pirates vs Tigers Series?
The September 27 game was the third meeting in the teams’ September series. Detroit won the first two games before Pittsburgh claimed the finale.
| Date | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| September 25, 2026 | Tigers 8–7 Pirates | Tigers |
| September 26, 2026 | Tigers 4–3 Pirates | Tigers |
| September 27, 2026 | Pirates 4–2 Tigers | Pirates |
Although Detroit won the series, Pittsburgh finished the final game with a victory that gave the club its first winning regular-season record since 2018.
What Do the Main Baseball Statistics Mean?
Baseball box scores use abbreviations to summarize each player’s performance. Understanding these terms makes it easier to compare hitters and pitchers.
| Stat | Full Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| AB | At-Bats | Official batting attempts |
| R | Runs | Times a player scores |
| H | Hits | Successful hits |
| RBI | Runs Batted In | Runs a hitter helps score |
| HR | Home Runs | Hits that allow the batter to score |
| BB | Base on Balls | Walks awarded to a batter |
| SO | Strikeouts | Times a batter strikes out or a pitcher records a strikeout |
| IP | Innings Pitched | Innings completed by a pitcher |
| ER | Earned Runs | Runs charged to a pitcher that are not caused by errors |
| ERA | Earned Run Average | Average earned runs allowed per nine innings |
For example, Griffin’s two RBIs mean he helped bring two runs home. Jones’ five strikeouts mean he retired five batters by striking them out.
FAQs
1. Who won the Pirates vs Tigers game on September 27, 2026?
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers 4–2 at Comerica Park.
2. Who hit a home run for the Pirates?
Konnor Griffin hit a leadoff home run for Pittsburgh. It was his sixth home run of the season.
3. Which Tigers players hit home runs?
Kevin McGonigle and Eduardo Valencia each hit a solo home run in the seventh inning.
4. How many hits did the Pirates and Tigers record?
The Pirates recorded seven hits, while the Tigers finished with three.
5. Who was the winning pitcher?
Lake Bachar earned the win for Pittsburgh after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings and recording four strikeouts.
6. Who recorded the save for Pittsburgh?
Mason Montgomery recorded his 18th save of the season after pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
7. What was Pittsburgh’s final 2026 regular-season record?
The Pirates finished the 2026 regular season with an 82–80 record, their first winning season since 2018.
Remember This
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers 4–2 on September 27, 2026. Konnor Griffin led Pittsburgh with a home run and two RBIs. Kevin McGonigle and Eduardo Valencia hit home runs for Detroit. Lake Bachar earned the win, and Mason Montgomery recorded the save.
Conclusion
The Pirates vs Tigers matchup on September 27, 2026, ended with a 4–2 victory for Pittsburgh. Konnor Griffin played a major role by hitting a leadoff home run and adding another RBI later in the game. Jake Mangum, Nick Gonzales, and Billy Cook also helped the Pirates build their lead. Detroit showed some power in the seventh inning, but its two home runs were not enough to change the result.
The victory was important for Pittsburgh because it secured the team’s first winning season since 2018. Strong starting pitching, timely hitting, and effective relief work helped the Pirates finish the regular season on a positive note. For Detroit, Kevin McGonigle and Eduardo Valencia provided the biggest highlights in the final game.
