Santiago Espinal hit a two-run homer and Nick Lodolo tossed seven strong innings to win his fifth consecutive start as the visiting Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday.
Lodolo (8-2) allowed one run on four hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. Fernando Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Alexis Diaz retired the Pirates in order in the ninth for his 16th save.
Jonathan India and Luke Maile had two hits apiece for Cincinnati, which snapped a three-game losing streak and avenged a 4-1 loss on Monday in the opener of the three-game series.
Lodolo outdueled Pirates starter Bailey Falter (3-5), who yielded two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Pittsburgh was held to four hits, including Ke’Bryan Hayes’ homer. Bryan Reynolds singled and doubled to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, which is the longest active streak in the majors.
Reynolds is hitting .358 (24-for-67) with two home runs and nine RBIs during his streak.
The Pirates had won three of their previous four games.
Cincinnati broke a scoreless tie with one out in the fifth inning when India doubled and Espinal followed with a two-run homer to left field. The 376-foot blast was Espinal’s fourth long ball of the season.
Lodolo, who recorded his fourth straight quality start, retired 11 in a row before yielding Hayes’ solo homer with one out in the seventh inning.
The 382-foot blast the third homer of the season for Hayes and his first extra-base hit since June 1.
Cincinnati won despite hitting into three double plays, all in the first three innings.
Pittsburgh put two runners on with two outs in the third inning before Lodolo struck out Connor Joe to escape the jam.
The Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen drew a one-one walk in the eighth. Reynolds followed with a deep fly ball to center fielder Stuart Fairchild, who made the catch at the wall and doubled up McCutchen at first base.
–Field Level Media
