(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz fouls a pitch from Cincinnati Reds’ Chase Burns off his foot in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit a tie-breaking single in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a sweep of Cincinnati with a 1-0 win on Sunday.

Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin doubled off the centerfield wall against Reds reliever Tony Santillan (1-1) with two outs in the eighth. Pinch hitter Jake Mangum worked a full count walk and Cruz followed by lacing a single to center. Griffin beat TJ Friedl’s throw home with ease as Pittsburgh responded to getting swept at home by St. Louis by taking three straight from the Reds.

Gregory Soto (3-0) got the last four outs after taking over following a brilliant performance by starter Braxton Ashcraft.

A day after seven pitchers combined to issue 11 walks — including an MLB-record tying seven straight at one point — Cincinnati rookie Chase Burns was far more efficient while matching Ashcraft pitch for pitch

Ashcraft bounced back from a rocky performance in a loss to St. Louis with the best start of his young career. The 26-year-old allowed four hits over 7 2/3 innings with a pair of walks and six strikeouts. He also benefited from a couple of excellent defensive plays behind him.

Second baseman Brandon Lowe — all 5-foot-9 of him — climbed the ladder to rob JJ Bleday of a hit to end the sixth, a snag that came with Friedl on second base representing the go-ahead run. Third baseman Nick Gonzales threw out Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer at the plate to help Pittsburgh get out of a two-on, one-out threat in the eighth.

Burns, a 23-year-old rookie, was perhaps even better. The hard-throwing right-hander, whose fastball easily tops 100 mph, allowed a leadoff infield single to Cruz, then retired 16 straight before Joey Bart’s single with one out in the sixth. Burns allowed three hits in seven-plus innings, with a walk and seven strikeouts, to lower his ERA to 2.20.

Up next

Reds: Head to Chicago on Monday for a four-game series against the Cubs.

Pirates: Start a six-game trip on Tuesday in Arizona.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin slides into third base on his triple off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brock Burke in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Carmen Mlodzinski had a career-high 10 strikeouts, Pittsburgh tied the MLB record for consecutive walks in an inning, and the Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 17-7 on Saturday.

The Pirates drew seven consecutive walks in their five-run second inning, tying the mark set by the Chicago White Sox (Aug. 28, 1909) and Atlanta Braves (May 25, 1983). Pittsburgh’s first four runs in the inning came without putting a ball in play before Henry Davis grounded into an RBI force out to cap the inning and make it 10-3.

The Pirates set season highs for runs (17) and hits (19), and each of Pittsburgh’s starters in the lineup had at least one RBI.

Mlodzinski (2-2) gave up five runs, eight hits and walked two in 5 1/3 innings.

Ryan O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Konnor Griffin each had an RBI double in the first inning and the Pirates led 5-2 going into the second.

O’Hearn and Ozuna had three RBIs apiece and Griffin was 4 for 5 with a triple, a double and two RBIs. Spencer Horwitz and Nick Gonzales each drove in two runs. Brandon Lowe walked four times, the most by a Pirates player this season, and scored three runs.

Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) allowed eight runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Will Benson and JJ Bleday each hit a home run for the Reds. Nathaniel Lowe went 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs.

The Pirates beat the Reds 9-1 in the series opener Friday to snap a five-game losing streak.

Up Next

Cincinnati’s Chase Burns (3-1, 2.65 ERA) is set to pitch Sunday opposite Braxton Ashcraft (1-2, 3.71) to conclude a three-game series.

(Credit for Photo: Courtesy of CBS Sports and the NFL)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Wayne County, MI) DK Metcalf will not face criminal charges stemming from an altercation with a fan at Ford Field during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ December game against the Detroit Lions, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office announced May 1.

According to a statement provided to the Detroit Free Press, the fan, Ryan Kennedy, did not appear to be injured and did not seek medical attention.

Prosecutors said Kennedy approached the front railing with a Metcalf jersey seeking an autograph and exchanged words with the receiver. During a brief interaction, Metcalf grabbed Kennedy’s shirt and pushed him back, according to the statement.

“After an extensive review of all the relevant evidence, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that charges will not issue in this case,” prosecutors said.

Metcalf’s attorney, Mitch Schuster, said in a statement that he welcomed the decision and plans to continue defending his client in a related civil case.

Kennedy has filed a lawsuit against Metcalf and others, alleging defamation. Former NFL players Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe are also named in the suit, which remains ongoing.

Metcalf was previously suspended two games without pay following the incident.