Marte's Inside-The-Park HR Helps Pirates Beat Brewers 6-4
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Starling Marte hit a two-run, inside-the-park homer, and rookie Nick Kingham won his second straight big league start in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 6-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Kingham (2-0) struck out seven but allowed six hits and four runs before being chased with one out in the Brewers' three-run sixth.
Kingham was far less effective than in his sparking big league debut on Sunday, when he carried a perfect game into the seventh in a 5-0 win over St. Louis. But homers from Corey Dickerson and Marte off Milwaukee's Junior Guerra (2-2) gave the young right-hander a boost and helped end a four-game losing streak.
Kingham was pulled after allowing Domingo Santana's two-run homer, which cut Pittsburgh's lead to one.
Marte's fly caromed off a part of the fence set at an angle in left-center. The ball skipped past outfielder Lorenzo Cain as Marte raced around the bases for his first career inside-the park home run and a 5-1 lead in the fifth.
The Pittsburgh bullpen left the potential tying run at stranded in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the eighth, closer Felipe Vazquez came in with one out to get Hernan Perez to fly out before striking out Orlando Arcia to wiggle out of the jam.
Vazquez allowed a leadoff single to Jett Bandy in the ninth before getting a double play and strikeout for his sixth save in six chances.
Domingo Santana and Manny Pina homered for the Brewers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: Reliever A.J. Schugel was brought back from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis after experiencing a recurrence of right shoulder discomfort. The right-hander, who was placed on the disabled list before the season started, reported soreness after pitching Thursday.
Brewers: Zach Davies says he expects to miss just one start after being placed on the 10-day disabled list with right rotator cuff inflammation. The right-hander said before Friday's game against Pittsburgh that expects to start again next weekend at Colorado. RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled Friday from Triple-A Colorado Springs to take Davies' spot on the roster.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-3) is 0-3 in his last four starts since tossing a one-hit shutout against Cincinnati on April 8.
Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (2-1) is 2-3 with a 5.35 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh.
(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)