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Written by: E. George
Published May 12, 2025 @ 6:15 PM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – The Atlanta Braves let a late-game rally go to waste Sunday afternoon, falling 3-4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in walk-off fashion and dropping two of three in the series. A ninth-inning miscue and stagnant offense for much of the game contributed to Atlanta’s continued struggle to reach the .500 mark this season.
After erasing a three-run deficit with a dramatic eighth-inning surge, the Braves appeared poised to steal a win and the series. A clutch pinch-hit, bases-clearing double tied the score at 3-3, briefly igniting an otherwise quiet lineup. But the momentum quickly faded as Pittsburgh responded in the bottom of the ninth with a game-winning rally that began with a leadoff single and ended with a deflected ground ball that allowed the winning run to cross the plate.
Atlanta’s bats were largely dormant through the first seven innings, producing just one extra-base hit—a double in the fourth. The lack of early offensive pressure has become a concerning trend, with the Braves unable to generate consistent scoring opportunities in the first half of games throughout the series. Sunday marked yet another contest where Atlanta’s lineup failed to produce until it was nearly too late.
Starter Chris Sale delivered a solid if unspectacular outing, allowing three runs—two of them earned—across 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and issued two walks, but found himself in a tough spot after the Pirates capitalized on a passed ball and small-ball execution in the fifth inning to take the lead. Sale exited with his team trailing, another outing in which modest run support left little room for error.
Atlanta briefly kept the game in reach thanks to effective relief work, including a scoreless stint that held Pittsburgh in check long enough to mount a comeback. The eighth-inning breakthrough came with two outs and the bases loaded, when a pinch hitter delivered a well-struck double into the gap to even the score. But the bullpen couldn’t hold the line in the ninth.
Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed back-to-back hits to start the inning before issuing an intentional walk to set up a potential double play. That plan backfired when a hard grounder took a tricky hop and slipped past the infield, allowing the Pirates to walk it off.
The loss dropped the Braves to 19-21, and once again denied them the chance to pull even at .500. Despite a stretch earlier in the week that included five wins in seven games, Atlanta’s inconsistency at the plate remains a key concern, particularly as they continue to fall short in close games.
Atlanta heads back home to open a four-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday night. Right-hander Grant Holmes is slated to take the mound as the Braves look to rebound and reverse their recent offensive struggles.