Giants manager Tony Vitello sends blunt message to players after 5-2 loss to Pirates

The San Francisco Giants dropped two of three games in Pittsburgh after falling 5-2 to the Pirates on Thursday afternoon, with manager Tony Vitello making a pointed statement about the team’s lack of aggressiveness on the mound.

San Francisco’s pitching staff surrendered only five hits, and every Pittsburgh hit was a single. However, the Giants issued seven walks, hit one batter and committed an error, creating enough opportunities for the Pirates to produce five runs without recording a single RBI hit.

“The bottom line is we didn’t throw strikes,” said Vitello. “The beauty of these conversations we keep having — you guys keep bringing up youth and young guys — is there’s other guys. So, if you don’t want to attack, there will be opportunities for other guys. The smart ones will sniff that out and they’ll do it.”

"There will be opportunities for other guys, and the smart ones will sniff that out and they'll do it."

Vitello on the Giants not executing on the little things pic.twitter.com/ehB7xLlMhr

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 3, 2026

Rookie right-hander Blade Tidwell had the most trouble with his command. He walked five batters and gave up two runs on two hits over five innings while striking out five. Both runs came during a difficult first inning that required 40 pitches. Tidwell walked Oneil Cruz with the bases loaded before hitting Jake Mangum on a 1-2 pitch.

Tidwell settled down after the opening frame and allowed only two more singles. He said his approach became more aggressive, and he finished with a 4.43 ERA across 42 2/3 innings this season. He is expected to make around four more starts.

San Francisco remained within reach after falling behind 4-0. Jonah Cox opened the seventh with a walk, stole second and scored on Jung Hoo Lee’s double. Turner Hill also walked before Nate Furman grounded out to bring him home, cutting Pittsburgh’s advantage to 4-2.

The Pirates added another run in the eighth when Jake Mangum walked and later scored on Jared Triolo’s sacrifice fly.

Pittsburgh’s five runs came through small-ball opportunities rather than RBI hits. Triolo plated two runs with a sixth-inning force out and an eighth-inning sacrifice fly, while Oneil Cruz scored after a sacrifice bunt and an errant throw by Reiver Sanmartin.

The Giants fell to 58-83, while the Pirates improved to 69-72 and won four of their last five games. San Francisco will now travel to Queens for a three-game series against the New York Mets beginning Friday.

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