SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — Bubba Chandler delivered a stellar performance in his home state and the Pittsburgh Pirates used a two-run sixth inning to secure a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night at Truist Park.

In a game that defied pregame projections that heavily favored Atlanta, Chandler, a right-hander from nearby Bogart, Georgia, pitched into the sixth inning, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out six and, crucially, did not issue a walk, improving his record to 4-1.

The Braves struck first in the second inning. Catcher Drake Baldwin led off with a triple and later scored on a sharp line-drive single to right field by Marcell Ozuna.

Pittsburgh answered in the third inning when catcher Henry Davis tied the game with his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field.

The Pirates broke the tie for good in the sixth against Braves starter Spencer Strider. Spencer Horwitz singled with one out and scored when Nick Gonzales doubled to center field. After a walk to Joey Bart, Jack Suwinski followed with an RBI single that deflected off shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, allowing Gonzales to cross the plate.

That was enough offense for the Pirates, who improved to 72-90. The Braves fell to 76-86.

Strider (7-14) took the loss, pitching six innings and surrendering three runs on eight hits while striking out five.

Following Chandler’s departure, the Pirates’ bullpen was flawless. Chase Shugart recorded the final out of the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh. Justin Lawrence pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Dennis Santana closed the door in the ninth for his 16th save of the season. The trio of relievers combined for four strikeouts without allowing a hit over 3 1/3 innings.

The Pirates’ offense collected 10 hits but grounded into two double plays, which stifled potential rallies in the second and third innings. Atlanta’s bats were quiet outside of the second inning, managing just five hits total. Baldwin was a bright spot for the Braves, going 2 for 4 with a triple and a double.

The game, played in two hours and twenty-nine minutes, was a brisk, well-pitched contest that saw the Pirates even the series after a 9-3 win on Friday. The two teams combined for only four runs, a stark contrast to the pregame over/under line of 8.5. The announced attendance was 35,007.

The victory continued a strong finish to the season for the Pirates, who have now won six of their last eight games. The Braves, meanwhile, have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series and their 2025 seasons on Sunday.