PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates need to start stacking wins to stay in postseason contention. After an extra-innings loss Wednesday, they rebounded back into the win column.
Pittsburgh defeated San Francisco, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at PNC Park for their fifth series win out of their past six. The Pirates remain three games under .500 with 21 games to go.
Pittsburgh jumped on Giants starter Blade Tidwell early, as the right-hander had zero control. They drew three straight walks to open the scoring before Jake Mangum brought home another run on a hit-by-pitch to produce a 2-0 lead. Pittsburgh’s bullpen game, notably without Carmen Mlodzinski after he logged three innings Wednesday night, was tasked with protecting the lead.
Lake Bachar worked 2 1/3 innings through San Francisco’s lineup and walked two while allowing no hits. Brandon Eisert entered and kept the clean slate before Khristian Curtis came in to take on the bulk innings.
Curtis wasn’t added to the active roster until under 30 minutes before game time. He was ineligible to return this quickly after being optioned on Aug. 26, but he came back with the caveat that Kirby Yates was placed on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.
Curtis was just as successful as he has been in his previous two outings. He pitched eight scoreless innings to begin his career, and he continued with three more zeroes on Thursday.
Pittsburgh added on in the sixth as Oneil Cruz walked and then stole second base. Mangum went for a sacrifice bunt to move Cruz, but the throw from Giants reliever Reiver Sanmartin went past Bryce Eldridge at first to score Cruz and extend the lead to three. Mangum then scored as Jared Triolo beat out a double play.
Curtis’ streak and day came to an end after walking two batters and allowing a pinch-hit RBI double to start the seventh inning. Yohan Ramírez entered and allowed another run to give Curtis his second earned run, but Ramírez ended the threat to keep a two-run lead.
The game turned over to the bullpen aces, Luke Weaver and Mason Montgomery, who calmly put things away for the victory and Curtis' first-career big league win.