Nick Yorke plays hero in Pirates' walk-off win against Orioles

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Apr 4, 2026

Published in Baseball

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PITTSBURGH — The Pirates earned their first walkoff win of the season, and Nick Yorke was the hero.

Yorke’s RBI double in the ninth off Orioles closer Ryan Helsley was the walk-off winner, as the Pirates beat the Orioles, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon at PNC Park. The Pirates have won four in a row and go for a sweep on Sunday.

Bryan Reynolds doubled off Helsley and scored the winning run. He went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored twice.

Carmen Mlodzinski allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings on five hits and three walks. He struck out five.

The damage against him came in the fourth inning, when he faced hitters for a second time. Five of the first six hitters he faced reached on four singles and a walk, bringing in two runs and loading the bases.

Pitching coach Bill Murphy came out for a mound visit, then Mlodzinski struck out Colton Cowser and got Blaze Alexander to ground into a fielder’s choice. Mlodzinski did well to hold the Orioles to two runs, though the damage was done.

Former Pirates prospect Shane Baz limited the Pirates to one run in 5 2/3 innings, and they needed luck for that run.

In the bottom of the fourth, Reynolds reached on Baz’s own error, moved to second on a Ryan O’Hearn single, then reached third when Marcell Ozuna’s would-be double-play ball took a bad hop and ended as only a groundout. After Konnor Griffin was hit by a pitch, Spencer Horwitz scored Reynolds with a sacrifice fly.

Baz allowed just three hits in his start, his first at PNC Park. The Pirates’ first-round pick, dealt to Tampa Bay in the Chris Archer trade, walked three and struck out five.

The Pirates tied it in the eighth, scoring a run without a ball reaching even the infield dirt. Ozuna led off with a tapper down the line that third baseman Coby Mayo couldn’t field. Yorke, pinch running for Ozuna, reached third on soft groundouts from Griffin and Horwitz. And Jake Mangum, pinch hitting for Joey Bart, scored Yorke on an infield single that pitcher Anthony Nunez misplayed.

It was over when …

Yorke’s double barely got over left fielder Dylan Beavers’ glove. When it hit the ground and bounced to the wall, Reynolds scored easily from second and celebrations could begin.

On the mound

Hunter Barco made his PNC Park debut in relief of Mlodzinski and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. While he did struggle with his command, walking three and throwing just 22 strikes in 45 pitches, he also didn’t allow a hit.

After two tough appearances to start the year, including a walk-off loss in New York, it was a positive outing for the top-100 prospect.

At the plate

The Pirates had eight hits and left 11 runners on base. They went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Horwitz went 1 for 3 with a double and a sacrifice fly.

Most valuable player

Reynolds was on base four times and scored twice.

Up next

The Pirates go for a three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Braxton Ashcraft (0-1, 3.00) will start against Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt (0-1, 8.31).