Mike Yastrzemski's grand slam lifts Braves to 10-5 win over Pirates

Mike Yastrzemski delivered a ninth‑inning grand slam to secure a 10‑5 victory for the Atlanta Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at PNC Park. The Braves had taken a 6‑5 lead when Yastrzemski connected off reliever Dennis Santana for his third career grand slam.

Matt Olson opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, his 25th of the season, while playing his 740th consecutive game, tying the franchise record set by Dale Murphy. Rookie Jim Jarvis recorded his first major‑league home run, a two‑run blast in the fourth inning. Pittsburgh responded with back‑to‑back homers by Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez, and Jake Mangum added a two‑run shot and an RBI double.

Atlanta pitcher Bryce Elder allowed four runs over four innings, and the Braves’ bullpen held the Pirates to one run after the fifth inning. The game was delayed for 35 minutes by rain before resuming. The win gave the Braves their first series victory in Pittsburgh in four years.