Pirates Push Winning Streak To Five, Hang On To Sweep Giants
The Pittsburgh Pirates pushed their winning streak to five games on Wednesday, July 30, sweeping the San Francisco Giants in a 2-1 extra innings win.
Despite playing with a short bullpen after trading left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson to the Mariners midway through the game, Carmen Mlodzinski and Isaac Mattson each stepped up for two scoreless innings in relief. Mike Burrows got the start, striking out seven batters on 91 pitches and allowing just one run in six innings.
Oneil Cruz began the tenth inning on second as the inherited baserunner, taking third and scoring on groundouts from Nick Gonzales and Henry Davis, respectively to put the Pirates in front. Mattson allowed a leadoff base hit on a ball Jack Suwinski missed in left field, but the lead runner didn’t advance on a play that seemed destined for an out. A bunt moved the runners over, but Mattson escaped with consecutive strikeouts.
Before the late game heroics, San Francisco opened a 1-0 lead against Burrows with three singles in the fourth inning. The advantage lasted all of three pitches, as Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled and Spencer Horwitz doubled to open the fifth.
The Pirates went on to load the bases, but Gonzales hit into a double play to end the threat. Pittsburgh put a runner in scoring position in each of the next three innings, but always with two outs, limiting their ability to generate offense.
Up next, the Pirates will continue their road trip at Colorado, opening a three game series with the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1.
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