The Pittsburgh Pirates held on to secure a narrow 5-4 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 23, 2025. The game, which took place at American Family Field, saw the Pirates build an early lead and then withstand a late surge from the Brewers to clinch the win.

Braxton Ashcraft, a rookie right-handed pitcher, made his first MLB start for the Pirates. Ashcraft, who was drafted by the Pirates in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft, had previously made seven bullpen appearances for the team, posting a 1.54 ERA. In this game, he pitched against Chad Patrick, who started for the Brewers.

The Pirates' offense was sparked by Tucupita Marcano, who hit a home run. Other offensive contributors included Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen. Reynolds has 11 doubles, two triples, and eight home runs this season, while McCutchen is currently hitting .268.

Milwaukee threatened in the later innings, with Christian Yelich contributing significantly. Yelich has been on a hot streak recently, hitting .394 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in his last 25 games. However, the Pirates' Chase Shugart managed to hold off the Brewers' comeback attempt, earning the win. David Bednar closed out the game, securing the save for Pittsburgh.

Looking ahead, the Brewers and Pirates will continue their series. Andrew Heaney is scheduled to start the second game for the Pirates on June 24, while Paul Skenes will pitch the series finale on June 25. The Brewers will counter with Freddy Peralta on June 24 and Jacob Misiorowski on June 25.