Pirates split doubleheader with 4-2 win, 5-1 loss in Cincinnati
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jonathan India hit a go-ahead single, Brandon Drury added a two-run triple and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Thursday night to split a doubleheader.
Pittsburgh won the opener 4-2 behind rookie starter Roansy Contreras, who allowed one run in six innings.
In the nightcap, India snapped a 1-1 tie with his two-out single in the seventh inning off Bryse Wilson, which followed an error by second baseman Josh VanMeter that allowed Nick Senzel to reach. Drury followed against reliever Chris Stratton and hit a line drive that eluded right fielder Ben Gamel's diving effort and rolled to the wall for a triple.
Tommy Pham capped the rally with an RBI single.
Wilson (1-5) allowed four runs — just one earned — on seven hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings. He was coming off his first win of the season last Saturday against Milwaukee. Wilson was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to be Pittsburgh's 27th man for the doubleheader.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton felt Wilson deserved more support. Pittsburgh had two runners in scoring position with one out in the first, but opener Jeff Hoffman stranded them with two strikeouts.
"The bottom line is we've got to score," Shelton said. "We didn't put the ball in play."
Hoffman lasted 1 2/3 innings in a bullpen game for the Reds. Ross Detwiler pitched one inning and Robert Dugger — added to the roster between games — turned in 3 1/3 before Reiver Sanmartin (1-4) pitched 2 2/3 innings for the win.
"I was going to do whatever I could until they took me out of the game," Sanmartin said through a translator. "Just to have the coaches, the manager and the team had the confidence in me to finish the game, gave me confidence."
"It started with Hoffy," Reds manager David Bell said. "No matter what, we were going to put guys in situations that they were uncomfortable with. We would have to stretch some guys based on their workload. Dugger came up in a tough spot. We asked a lot of him. I never expected Reiver to finish the game based on what he's done the last couple days, but it got to a point that it was easy for him."
In the opener, Michael Chavis hit a tiebreaking two-run double and Diego Castillo homered to back Contreras (3-2).
Jason Delay drove in Gamel from first base with a seventh-inning double for his first career hit and RBI as Pittsburgh sent the Reds to their seventh loss in nine games. Delay's hit boosted Pittsburgh's lead to 4-1.
"I'm happy for him," Shelton said. "His first major league RBI, and it was a big RBI. It extended the lead."
After getting rocked for five hits and seven runs in 1 2/3 innings during his last start on July 1 against Milwaukee, Contreras allowed four hits and one run with one walk and seven strikeouts in his 12th appearance and ninth start of the season.
"I have to give credit to some adjustments I made this week," Contreras said through a translator. "I'm grateful that the results came through. I always trust myself. I've learned how to move on. There's always another new day."
Duane Underwood Jr. and Wil Crowe followed from the bullpen before David Ednar worked the ninth for his 14th save.
Mike Minor (1-6) struck out a season-high eight over 6 1/3 innings on the way to his fourth straight loss. He allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and a hit batter. Minor held Pittsburgh hitless through the first four innings.
"This was the best I've thrown all year," Minor said. "Still, they came away with four runs. I thought my stuff was a lot better. I had a lot of swing-and-miss stuff. Balls in the gap with guys on base killed me. The solo home run, I'll take it."
The Pirates had gone 14 innings without scoring a run, including Wednesday's 16-0 loss to the Yankees.
"We bounce back really well," Shelton said. "I'd like not to have to. We have a resilient bunch."
Donovan Solano broke up Contreras' shutout bit with a fifth-inning solo shot, his first homer since coming off the injured list on June 21.
The Pirates optioned Contreras to Triple-A Indianapolis between games.
TWINBILLS
Thursday's doubleheader was the fourth of at least five this season for the Pirates, the most for the team since it played nine in 2004. The Reds and Pirates are scheduled to play a third doubleheader in Cincinnati on September 13, the first time the teams have played three twinbills in one season since 1965.
WHOLESALE CHANGES
Between games, the Reds transferred RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (right forearm strain) to the 60-day IL, placed catcher Aramis Garcia (left middle finger) on the 10-day IL, promoted RHP Robert Dugger from Triple-A Louisville and recalled catcher Mark Kolozsvary from Louisville.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Luis Cessa left the game with a left rib muscle strain while pitching to Reynolds in the seventh inning. He was placed on the 15-day IL between games. ... C Tyler Stephenson (broken right thumb) was scheduled to catch Thursday and be the designated hitter on Friday for Triple-A Louisville before possibly being activated on Saturday, manager David Bell said. ... RHP Alexis Diaz (right bicep) could be activated Friday, Bell said.
UP NEXT
Pirates: After a one-day stop in Cincinnati for Thursday's doubleheader, Pittsburgh heads to Milwaukee, where RHP JT Brubaker (2-7, 4.28 ERA) will take the mound to begin a three-game series on Friday.
Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (3-4, 3.09) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay on Friday.