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Moran’s Homer Lifts Pittsburgh Over Washington in Extras

Pirates defeat Nationals, 6-3

Pittsburgh Pirates' Colin Moran (19) celebrates his three-run home run with Adam Frazier (26) and Jason Martin (51) during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, April 12, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

WASHINGTON — Colin Moran has less than a full season’s worth of at-bats in the majors, and just maybe the 26-year-old is becoming one of the game’s better pinch hitters.

Moran came off the bench in the 10th inning Friday night and hit a three-run homer, part of five runs Pittsburgh scored off Washington’s struggling bullpen, in a 6-3 victory over the Nationals.

Moran’s blast to right center off Justin Miller was his second as a pinch hitter in 34 at-bats. His 11 hits in that role tied him for fourth-most in the majors last season. Over his career, he has posted a 1.093 OPS in pinch hitting situations.

“I think maybe I just do a good job of keeping things simple, but I don’t know,” said Moran, who batted for Jung Ho Kang, after Melky Cabrera and Adam Frazier reached base against lefty Matt Grace (0-1). “You just try and get your A-swing off and see what happens early.”

Pittsburgh snapped a four-game losing streak in Washington and spoiled a two-homer night for the Nationals’ Anthony Rendon.

Despite a relatively clean performance during a three-game sweep at Philadelphia. Washington relievers entered Friday the worst in the majors. Their ERA grew to 8.12 by game’s end.

“We’ve got to get this one thing ironed out,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.

Starling Marte hit a two-run single off Kyle Barraclough in the top of the eighth inning that gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead, before Rendon’s solo shot in the bottom of the inning tied it.

Cabrera’s pinch-hit double led off the 10th. There were runners on second and third after Grace’s throwing error on Frazier’s comebacker and Starling Marte’s grounder to the catcher.

Moran came up, with Josh bell — who homered earlier — on deck.

“When you pinch hit you kind of forget who’s hitting behind you, and I saw JB and he’s swinging a good bat,” Moran said. “I had a good feeling I would get some pitches to hit if I could dial into the strike zone.”

Nick Burdi (1-1) worked a scoreless ninth for his first big league win, and Felipe Vazquez pitched the 10th for his fourth save.

“We got some big hits when we needed them,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “We got some nice situations off the mound when we needed to. All in all, a really good game for us.”

EXTRA STREAKY

Rendon has six homers after going deep twice for the fifth time in his career. He extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has recorded at least one extra-base hit in the last nine games. In terms of extra-base hits, it’s tied for the longest such streak since the club moved to Washington. Ryan Zimmerman had extra-base hits in nine straight games in 2017.

STILL SEARCHING

Patrick Corbin struck out 11 and allowed one run in seven innings in his third start since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with Washington in December. He has yet to earn a decision despite lowering his ERA to 2.84.

“We want to win, obviously,” said Corbin. “I think as a starter, if you just keep us in the game, do your job out there, more times than not we’re going to come away with wins.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder) and RHP Dovydas Neverauskas (left oblique strain) will have their rehabilitation assignments transferred to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday. Neverauskas threw two scoreless innings at Class A Bradenton, while Polanco was 2 for 13 there with four walks and an RBI in four games.

Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer (sore right leg) had his next start pushed back a day, to Sunday, because of lingering soreness after he was hit with a line drive in last Sunday at the Mets. … With Miller’s fastball velocity only in the low 90s, Martinez worried the reliever might be hurt. “I’m going to find out,” Martinez said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m going to talk to him.”

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Chris Archer (1-0, 2.45 ERA) makes his first start against Washington since 2015. He has a 2.45 ERA in two career appearances against the Nationals.

Nationals: Right-hander Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 6.52) swaps places with Scherzer. He’ll pitching on regular rest after allowing 3 runs over 5 2/3 innings on Monday in Philadelphia.

ROYALS 8, INDIANS 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Gordon homered, doubled twice and singled as the Kansas City Royals stopped a 10-game losing streak, racing to a big lead and beating the Cleveland Indians.

Gordon homered during a six-run first inning against Carlos Carrasco (1-2).

RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 4

BOSTON (AP) — Gold Glove center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. made two key catches and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles giving the World Series champions their first two-game winning streak of the season.

Baltimore’s Chris Davis lined out as a pinch-hitter to end the game, extending his record hitless streak for a position player to 0 for 54.

WHITE SOX 9, YANKEES 6, 7 INNINGS, RAIN

NEW YORK (AP) — Eloy Jimenez hit his first two major league homers, including a tiebreaking shot in the fifth inning, and Chicago ended a five-game skid by beating banged-up New York in a rain-shortened game.

Jimenez’s two-run drive off Jonathan Holder made it 7-5, and he added a 446-foot solo homer in the seventh.

RAYS 11, BLUE JAYS 7

TORONTO (AP) — Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe each hit two home runs, becoming the first teammates to hit upper deck homers at Toronto in the same game in the win for Tampa Bay.

The Rays won their fifth straight. It’s the second time this season Tampa Bay has won five straight.

CUBS 5, ANGELS 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Willson Contreras homered twice on a blustery day at Wrigley Field as Cole Hamels and Chicago stopped Los Angeles’ six-game win streak.

Anthony Rizzo and David Bote also connected to help Chicago win for the third time in four games. Hamels (2-0) pitched eight innings in his second straight victory, improving to 5-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 career starts against Los Angeles.

PHILLIES 9, MARLINS 1

MIAMI (AP) — Jake Arrieta allowed one run in seven innings to earn his 100th career victory and Philadelphia sent Miami to its fifth consecutive loss.

Arrieta (2-1) took a 6-0 lead into the seventh, when the Marlins ended a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings on Austin Dean’s sacrifice fly.

METS 6, BRAVES 2

ATLANTA (AP) — Brandon Nimmo hit a two-run homer, Jeff McNeil added a two-run double and New York kept hitting even without Pete Alonso.

New York has scored six runs in six straight games. This time they did it without Alonso, the team’s hottest hitter, who got most of the night off.

ATHLETICS 8, RANGERS 6

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Khris Davis hit his major league-best 10th homer, his fifth in three games being a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning, as the Oakland Athletics rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Texas Rangers

Ramon Laureano hit a game-tying homer to start the seventh for the A’s.

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