Jones leads Pirates past Guardians in smoke-delayed opener

Wildfire smoke changed the schedule in Cleveland, but Jared Jones changed the game. The Pirates right-hander struck out nine over six scoreless innings, and Pittsburgh backed him with three home runs in a 7-1 win over the Guardians in the opener of a split doubleheader at Progressive Field.

Friday night’s series opener had been postponed because of poor air quality tied to wildfire smoke. The teams and the umpire crew met at 4:30 p.m., when the air quality index reached 203, a level described as very unhealthy and hazardous, before the matchup was reset for a day-night doubleheader.

Jones kept Cleveland from settling in. He allowed three hits and two walks over 74 pitches, 48 for strikes, and never let the Guardians turn the game into a long rally. For a Pirates club that entered the matchup at 50-47 in Baseball-Reference’s preview, the outing fit the kind of performance Pittsburgh has needed from its young rotation to stay relevant in a crowded National League race.

The offense did its part quickly and decisively. Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run home run, Jacob Gonzalez added another two-run shot, and Nick Gonzales followed with a solo homer to give Pittsburgh the cushion it needed against Guardians starter Gavin Williams. The Pirates’ power surge turned what could have been a tight midseason game into a one-sided result.

That matters because Cleveland came in with the better record in several game listings, at 51-47, and has spent much of the summer building wins through pitching, defense and contact. Pittsburgh interrupted that rhythm, and the result gave the Pirates a cleaner snapshot of where they stand entering the second half: when Jones is missing bats and the lineup supplies early power, they can look far more dangerous than their record suggests.

The game also carried the familiar pressure of late-July baseball, with the trade deadline approaching and every series shaping expectations for what comes next. A smoke delay had already altered the day around the ballpark, and Pittsburgh altered the scoreboard once play began, turning a weather-disrupted opener into a statement win against a club that had been difficult to move off balance.