Pirates Shut Out by Reds in 2-0 Loss

Chase Burns earns first MLB win as Cincinnati takes third straight

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:42am

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A cubist-style painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, representing the fragmented action of a baseball game.The Pirates' offensive woes are deconstructed into a fragmented, geometric painting that captures the frustration of their scoreless outing against the Reds.Today in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates were held scoreless in a 2-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. Reds pitcher Chase Burns allowed just one hit over five innings to earn his first major league win, while the Reds offense scored runs in the fourth and sixth innings to secure the victory.

Why it matters

The loss drops the Pirates to 0-4 on the young season, while the Reds improve to 3-1 and continue their strong start. This game highlights the rebuilding Pirates' offensive struggles against a Reds team looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

The details

Burns (1-0) walked three and struck out seven for the Reds, including a key punchout of Jared Triolo with two on and two outs in the fourth inning. The Reds scored their runs on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Steer in the fourth and a triple by Will Benson in the sixth off Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft (0-1), who allowed two runs over six innings in the loss.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • Burns earned his first MLB win in the game.

The players

Chase Burns

A Reds pitcher who earned his first major league win by allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings.

Braxton Ashcraft

The Pirates starting pitcher, who took the loss after giving up two runs over six innings.

Sal Stewart

The Reds outfielder, who went 1-for-2 with two walks and is batting .667 through the first four games of the season.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to find ways to generate offense and support our pitching staff. This was a tough loss, but we'll regroup and come back stronger tomorrow.”

— Derek Shelton, Pirates Manager

What’s next

The Pirates and Reds will face off again on Tuesday, with Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler making his first start of the season against Cincinnati LHP Brandon Williamson.

The takeaway

The Pirates' offensive struggles continue as they fall to 0-4, while the Reds improve to 3-1 and show they have the pitching depth to compete in the NL Central this season.