The Pittsburgh Pirates might be the hottest team in baseball right now.

The Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles again on Sunday, completing their three-game sweep with an 8-2 rout at PNC Park. The victory extended their winning streak to five games, the longest active streak in MLB.

It also marked the first time Pittsburgh swept the Orioles in franchise history.

The eight runs matched the Pirates’ season high, which they’ve already reached three times during their winning streak. They scored six of those runs in the first two frames, giving Braxton Ashcraft a healthy cushion in his first win of the season.

Ashcraft was excellent in his second start of the year, racking up eight strikeouts over six innings of one-run ball.

 

five game win streak with a weekend sweep. 🧹 pic.twitter.com/8ailjq6TvY

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 6, 2026

 

Pittsburgh’s run prevention has been phenomenal since the club’s disastrous Opening Day loss at Citi Field, allowing just 23 runs over its last eight games. Meanwhile, the offense has been on fire with 32 runs over its last five games.

It’s been an impressive turnaround for the Pirates since their 1-3 start. Konnor Griffin’s promotion has helped, but they’re also just playing well across the board.

Pittsburgh will look to extend its winning streak behind Bubba Chandler against the San Diego Padres on Monday. The Pirates haven’t defeated the Padres at PNC Park since 2023, but they’ll try to cool off a San Diego squad that just took two of three from the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park over the weekend.

More MLB: Slumping Pirates Slugger Admits He ‘Deserves To Be Booed’ For Frigid Start