In a dominant display of pitching and timely hitting, the Arizona Diamondbacks opened their homestand at Chase Field with a commanding 9-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. The story of the game was veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who delivered his finest performance of the season to stifle a Pirates lineup that had been surging coming into the series.
Eduardo Rodriguez Flirts with History
Eduardo Rodriguez was the undisputed star of the evening, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning. The southpaw was in total control from the first pitch, using a lethal combination of his four-seam fastball and sharp breaking stuff to keep the Pittsburgh hitters off-balance. Rodriguez (3-0) ultimately surrendered just two hits over seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking three on 103 pitches.
The only real threat to Rodriguez’s no-hit bid came in the fifth when Jared Triolo lined a two-out single to left field. Despite the lost milestone, Rodriguez remained composed, retiring the side and continuing his dominance through the seventh. This outing was a critical shot in the arm for an Arizona rotation that entered the game with a National League-worst 5.07 ERA. By providing seven clean frames, Rodriguez not only secured the win but gave a taxed Diamondbacks bullpen a much-needed night of relative rest.
A Five-Run Sixth Inning Blows it Open
While the Diamondbacks held a slim 2-0 lead for much of the early going, the floodgates officially opened in the bottom of the sixth inning. Facing Pittsburgh reliever Yohan Ramirez, the Arizona bats came alive in a relentless sequence that essentially put the game out of reach.
- Gabriel Moreno ignited the rally with an RBI double down the right-field line, scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
- Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo followed up with the biggest hit of the frame, a sharp two-run double that extended the lead to 5-0.
- Ketel Marte added an RBI on a fielder's choice.
- Corbin Carroll capped the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Perdomo.
The five-run explosion turned a competitive contest into a rout, highlighting the depth of an Arizona lineup that managed to produce nine runs on nine hits despite walking eight times throughout the night.
Vargas and the Early Offense
The Diamondbacks didn't wait long to get on the board, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the very first inning against Pirates starter Bubba Chandler. After Ketel Marte led off the game with a triple, Adrian Del Castillo brought him home with a sacrifice fly. Shortly after, Ildemaro Vargas continued his torrid start to the 2026 season with an RBI double.
Vargas, who was recently honored as the NL Player of the Month for March/April, has been the spark plug of the Arizona offense. Following Tuesday’s performance, the 34-year-old veteran is sporting a blistering .377 batting average and an OPS north of 1.050. His ability to drive the ball into the gaps has provided a veteran stability that the D-backs have leaned on heavily during the early months of the campaign.
Pirates Struggle Amidst Suspensions
It was a difficult night for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who arrived in Phoenix without their manager and a key member of the bullpen. Manager Don Kelly served a one-game suspension following an incident on Saturday where reliever Chris Devenski intentionally threw at a Cincinnati Reds rookie. With bench coach Kristopher Negron at the helm, the Pirates' offense struggled to find any rhythm against Eduardo Rodriguez.
Pirates starter Bubba Chandler (1-4) battled significant control issues throughout his five innings of work. While he only allowed two hits, he issued six walks, which frequently put him in high-stress situations. Though he limited the damage to just two runs, the high pitch count forced an early exit, leaving the game in the hands of a bullpen that eventually buckled under the pressure of the Diamondbacks' hitters.
Closing the Door
After Rodriguez exited, the Arizona bullpen ensured the shutout remained intact. Jonathan Loaisiga tossed a perfect eighth inning, and Brandyn Garcia handled the ninth with ease, striking out two to finalize the 9-0 scoreline. The victory moves the Diamondbacks back to a .500 record (17-17) and sets a positive tone for the remainder of the three-game set against Pittsburgh.
The two teams will return to Chase Field on Wednesday for the second game of the series, with Arizona looking to capitalize on the momentum of Rodriguez’s masterclass.
Sources & Original Reporting
