Esmerlyn Valdez’s Grand Slam and Two Home Runs Lead Pirates Past Brewers 7-6 in First Game of Doubleheader

Based on a report from the Associated Press (AP) on July 11, 2026, at 3:10 pm.

What Is This Story About?

Imagine a fun game where you hit a ball and run around squares to score points. That game is called baseball. This story is about a super exciting baseball game played on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Two teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Milwaukee Brewers, played two games in one day (that’s called a doubleheader). This article talks about the first game of those two.

The Pirates won that first game by a score of 7 to 6 (they scored 7 points, and the Brewers scored 6). The big hero was a young player named Esmerlyn Valdez.

Meet Esmerlyn Valdez: A Rookie Phenom

In baseball, a rookie is a player who is playing his first season with a team. A phenom (short for phenomenon) is someone who is amazingly good, like a superstar in the making. So, Esmerlyn Valdez is a rookie phenom—a brand-new player who is already doing incredible things!

Baseball Words Explained (ELI5)

Before we dive into the action, let’s learn a few simple words:

• Home run: When a player hits the ball so far that they can run all the way around the four bases and score a point without getting stopped. It’s like hitting the ball far away and getting a free trip around the corners!
• Grand slam: A special home run. If there are already three players standing on the bases (waiting to run), and the batter hits a home run, then four players score at once (the three on bases + the batter). That’s a grand slam—a huge points burst!
• Go-ahead: This means the hit makes your team take the lead for the first time or regain the lead.
• Drove in runs (RBI): When a player’s hit allows teammates (or themselves) to score. “Drove in six runs” means Valdez’s hits caused six points to be scored for his team.
• Rally: When a team was behind (losing) but then scores points to come back and win.
• Doubleheader: Two baseball games played by the same teams on the same day, one after the other.

Key Plays: How Valdez Led the Win

Here’s what happened, step by step:

1. Esmerlyn Valdez hit two home runs during the game. That means he hit the ball super far twice, each time allowing him to run around and score (and maybe bring others along).
2. One of those home runs was a grand slam in the seventh inning (an inning is like a turn in the game). Because it was a grand slam, it brought in four runs at once (since bases were loaded).
3. This grand slam was “go-ahead”—it put the Pirates ahead in the score for the first time or gave them the lead back, helping them eventually win.
4. He drove in six runs total—meaning because of his hits, six points were scored for the Pirates.
5. The Pirates rallied from possibly being behind to win 7-6 against the Brewers.

Quick Bullet Summary of Valdez’s Stats:

• Rookie player for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Hit 2 home runs
• One was a grand slam in the 7th inning
• Drove in 6 runs total
• Helped team win 7-6 in first game of doubleheader

Important Point!
Esmerlyn Valdez’s grand slam in the seventh inning was the turning point. It not only scored four runs at once but also put his team ahead to eventually win the game. Without that hit, the Pirates might not have won!

Summary

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the Pittsburgh Pirates played the first of two games (a doubleheader) against the Milwaukee Brewers. A fantastic new player named Esmerlyn Valdez hit two home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning, and brought in six runs total. His amazing performance helped the Pirates come back and win the game 7-6. This story shows how one young player’s big hits can change everything!

FAQ

Q1: What is a doubleheader in baseball?
A: It’s when two teams play two games against each other on the same day. The game described was the first of those two.

Q2: Who is Esmerlyn Valdez?
A: He is a “rookie phenom” for the Pittsburgh Pirates—a first-year player who is already performing like a star.

Q3: What does “drove in six runs” mean?
A: It means that because of Valdez’s hits, six points were scored for his team. In baseball, this is called having 6 RBIs (Runs Batted In).

Q4: Why is a grand slam such a big deal?
A: A grand slam is a home run hit when there are already three players on base, so it scores four points at once—the most possible from a single hit!

Q5: What was the final score of the first game?
A: The Pirates won the first game 7-6 against the Brewers.