Pirates shut down Giants to stop slide

Johan Oviedo combined with four relievers on a five-hitter, Rodolfo Castro scored the difference-making run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch, and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates evened their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a 2-1 triumph Tuesday night

Connor Joe homered for the Pirates, who snapped a three-game losing streak by holding the Giants scoreless over the final eight innings after the hosts had erupted for 14 runs and 18 hits in the series opener Monday

Oviedo worked the first 4 1/3 innings, allowing the Giants‘ only run and three hits. He walked five and struck out five, departing with a 2-1 lead but two outs before potentially qualifying for a win

San Francisco’s only run came in the first after Joe had belted his sixth homer, off Giants opener John Brebbia in the top of the inning. Michael Conforto’s one-out single produced the run after walks to Mike Yastrzemski and J.D. Davis had set the stage

Thanks in large part to 4 2/3 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief from Dauri Moreta, Jose Hernandez, Colin Holderman and David Bednar, the Giants didn’t score again — allowing the Pirates‘ fifth-inning run to turn into the game-winner

Singles by Castro and Jason Delay and an error by left fielder Mitch Haniger set up the run in the fifth with one out. Giants starter Sean Manaea (2-3) then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Castro to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead

Manaea was pulled one batter later, charged with just the one unearned run on four hits in four innings. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

Moreta (2-1) was credited with the win after getting three outs bridging the fifth and sixth innings. He stranded runners at second and third in relief of Oviedo in the fifth before leaving with one out and a runner aboard in the sixth. Hernandez got a double-play grounder on his third pitch, ending that threat.

Bednar had no such excitement in his 1-2-3 ninth, recording two strikeouts en route to his 10th save.

Castro had two hits for the Pirates, whose only extra-base hit was Joe’s homer

Conforto and Brent Sabol collected two singles apiece for the Giants, who lost for the second time in their last three games. LaMonte Wade Jr. had a double for San Francisco’s only extra-base hit

–Field Level Media