Reynolds leads Pirates over Giants to get back over .500
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bryan Reynolds drove in three runs and made a leaping catch against the wall, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants 9-4 on Wednesday to climb back above .500.
Former Giants Andrew McCutchen and Connor Joe each went 3 for 4 with an RBI as the Pirates (28-27) won consecutive games after dropping below .500 for the first time since they were 1-2. Pittsburgh is 8-19 following a 20-8 start.
“I’m proud of our group,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “Pretty resilient. Started this road trip off swinging the bats well, had a couple of tough games in Seattle, and came in here and beat probably the team that’s playing the best in baseball two of three.”
Mitch Keller (7-1) improved to 4-0 in his last five starts, allowing four runs and 10 hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. It was his seventh consecutive outing with at least eight strikeouts and his 93 strikeouts are the most before June in Pirates history.
“You always want to win the series, especially to cap off the month,” Keller said. “Definitely coming in trying to throw up zeros, keep us in the game and give us a chance to win. Our offense kind of took care of that.”
Added Shelton: “I think the maturation of Mitch Keller has been one of the most exciting things that we’ve had this year. The way he goes out and competes is really important and I think we’ve really seen him grow up and do that.”
Alex Wood (1-1) allowed a season-high six runs, eight hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings as the Giants fell back to .500 at 28-28.
“I think Alex is at his best when he’s really attacking the strike zone,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “He fell behind a couple of times and it wasn’t his best outing.”
Pittsburgh outhit San Francisco 14-12.
Reynolds hit a two--run single in the fourth and an RBI grounder in a two-run sixth. He made a spectacular leaping catch at the top of the left-field wall with two on in the sixth, holding Casey Schmitt to a sacrifice fly.
“That changes the complexion of the game if he doesn’t make that catch,” Shelton said.
Patrick Bailey's RBI single put San Francisco ahead in the second, but Pittsburgh took a 4-1 lead in the third when McCutchen hit an RBI double and scored on Rodolfo Castro's single, and Ke’Bryan Hayes tripled down the left-field line, taking third when San Francisco left the base uncovered.
Wilmer Flores had a broken-bat RBI single in the bottom half.
Keller threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the fifth that cut Pittsburgh's lead to 6-3. Joe had an RBI double in the sixth.
LONG-AWAITED DEBUT
Right-hander Luke Jackson pitched a scoreless seventh inning with a pair of strikeouts in his Giants debut after Tommy John surgery in April 2020 while with Atlanta. He signed an $11.5 million, two-year deal with San Francisco in January and was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: 1B Carlos Santana missed his third straight game with lumbar spine muscular tightness.
Giants: OF Michael Conforto missed the game after exiting Tuesday's loss with a bruised left heel. His MRI revealed no structural damage and he is considered day-to-day.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Roansy Contreras (3-4, 4.33 ERA) opens a three-game home series on Friday night against St. Louis and RHP Jack Flaherty (3-4. 4.81).
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (4-5, 2.75) seeks to win his fourth straight decision Friday night when San Francisco plays a series opener against Baltimore and RHP Dean Kremer (5-2, 4.58).
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