Liriano Ends Five-Game Skid In Pirates' 6-3 Win Over A's
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Adam Frazier tripled in the tying run with one out in the sixth, then scored on an infield single to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
David Friese hit a two-run homer and Gregory Polanco added two RBIs as the Pirates completed the three-game sweep in their first visit to the Oakland Coliseum since 2010.
Francisco Liriano (5-8) pitched five innings to win for the first time since May 24. The lefty had lost five straight games before beating the A's to help extend Pittsburgh's winning streak to four.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected in the bottom of the sixth for arguing balls and strikes.
Billy Butler had an RBI double and scored for Oakland. The A's have lost four straight after winning the opener on this five-game homestand.
Pittsburgh trailed 2-0 and 3-2 before scoring twice in the sixth.
Josh Harrison reached on a fielder's choice and scored the tying run on Frazier's triple off Oakland starter Daniel Mengden (1-4). After Jordy Mercer walked, Frazier scored when Erik Kratz hit an infield single that deflected off the pitcher's glove. Mercer, running from first base, had to leap to avoid getting hit by the ball just before A's second baseman Tyler Ladendorf bobbled it.
That was enough for Liriano, who allowed three runs and six hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Four relievers combined to retire the final 12 batters for Pittsburgh. Mark Melancon pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
John Jaso had two hits for Pittsburgh to snap a 0-for-10 skid. Jaso was also hit by a pitch in the fifth before Polanco's two-run single.
Friese, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth, homered off John Axford in the eighth.
The A's led 2-0 on an RBI double by Butler and a fielder's choice groundout from Matt McBride. McBride also doubled and scored in the fifth.
Mengden allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four.
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BAKED McBRIDE
McBride was called up from Triple-A Nashville to replace injured Oakland backup catcher Josh Phegley on the roster but didn't arrive at the Coliseum until shortly before first pitch. He started and batted eighth, going 1 for 2 in two plate appearances before getting lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: OF Andrew McCutchen took the day off to rest his sore left heel. McCutchen was injured while sliding into home plate on a wild pitch Friday.
Athletics: Reliever Francisco Rodriguez left the game for unknown reasons after facing one batter in the eighth. . Phegley was placed on the disabled list with what team officials are calling a right knee strain. Manager Bob Melvin said it's possible that Phegley will require surgery.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Jonathon Niese (6-6) takes a four-game losing streak into Monday afternoon's start in St. Louis. The lefty has a 5.32 ERA on the road this season.
Athletics: Right-hander Kendall Graveman (3-6) pitches the series opener in Minnesota on Monday. Graveman has allowed two runs or less in six of his previous eight starts.
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