PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates are trying to mesh a roster heavily tilted toward young players into an eventual contending team.

The youth movement started in earnest in mid-June. The Pirates have called up a steady stream of players from Triple-A Indianapolis over the last six weeks.

Saturday night, the Pirates and a sellout crowd saw what it might look like when everything comes together.

The Pirates held off the Phillies, 7-6, in a thriller at PNC Park. Rookies contributed heavily to the victory in front of the first capacity crowd -- attendance was 38,434 -- since Opening Day.

Catcher Endy Rodríguez hit a go-ahead three-run triple in the fifth inning and finished with four RBIs. Second baseman Liover Peguero homered and finished with three hits and two RBIs. Shortstop Alika Williams had his first Major League hit. Third baseman Jared Triolo began a dramatic game-ending double play. Right-hander Quinn Priester survived five-plus innings that were sometimes rocky to win his second straight start.

“We've said when we have a bunch of young guys, they're gonna learn and contribute, and man, they did that tonight,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “Peguero had a heck of a game. The turn at the end with [J.T.] Realmuto running on a really tough play by [Triolo]. All around, they played outstanding. Really proud of them.

“I think the big thing is, and we saw it tonight, is they're not scared. Sold-out crowd, they were into it. Big plays throughout the whole game. Not only big plays, but big at-bats.”

Nobody had a bigger at-bat than Rodríguez in the fifth, when his bases-clearing triple off Aaron Nola (9-7) skipped by center fielder Brandon Marsh -- who tried to make a shoestring catch -- and rolled to the wall. That put the Pirates up 6-4, and Rodríguez then scored what proved to be a big insurance run one out later on Williams’ single.

“It feels great just to be part of this young group and part of the future of the organization,” Rodríguez said. “I want to give my best out there to put the team in a good spot. It feels really good.”

Rodríguez -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Pirates' No. 3 prospect -- also relished the opportunity to hit with the bases loaded.

“That’s the best part of the game because that’s where you get paid,” he said with a smile through translator Stephen Morales.

Williams (No. 29) was admittedly almost speechless about getting his first hit in the big leagues.

“It feels incredible,” Williams said. “I can’t even put it into words or emotions. Just getting it off your back feels really good.”

The Pirates ended up needing that run.

The Phillies got within 7-5 when Kyle Schwarber drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning. Clinging to a two-run lead in the eighth, Shelton made the uncharacteristic move of bringing in closer David Bednar with one out, and he gave up an RBI single to Johan Rojas.

Bednar then held on to the one-run lead in the ninth for his 21st save. The Phillies had runners on the corners with one out, but Triolo made a nice play on Realmuto’s chopper and started the game-ending double play.

Bednar’s escape act enabled Priester (2-1) to get the win despite allowing five runs and six walks in his five-plus innings.

Peguero (No. 7) opened the scoring with a leadoff homer in the third. After the Phillies plated four runs in the fourth inning, the Pirates answered in the bottom half when Rodríguez doubled in a run and scored on a single by Peguero.

Rodríguez and Williams then countered with their big hits in the four-run fifth inning to put the Pirates in front 7-4.

Peguero also made an outstanding diving backhanded catch of a Trea Turner line drive in the third inning. The middle infielder says all the rookies are starting to band together in the Major Leagues.

“I feel like one thing we’re trying to do is trying to help each other, pass it to the next guy,” Peguero said. “It’s been showing up.”