Pirates trade Lyles, lose to Reds 11-6 on 10-run inning
By JOE KAY AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) — All nine Reds crossed the plate in a parade unseen in Cincinnati since the days of the Big Red Machine. All the down-and-out Pirates could do was watch glumly.
Jose Iglesias’ grand slam completed Cincinnati’s 10-run second inning and the Reds beat the Pirates 11-6 Monday night after Pittsburgh traded scheduled starter Jordan Lyles to the Brewers.
The last-place Pirates lost their ninth straight, their longest skid since they dropped 10 in a row in 2011.
“It’s hard right now, there’s no doubt about it,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We battle adversity in different areas just about every night.”
Lyles was dealt to Milwaukee — which has an injury-depleted rotation — in the afternoon for pitching prospect Cody Ponce. Alex McRae (0-3) took Lyles’ spot, his first major league start after seven relief appearances. He retired only four batters and was replaced during Cincinnati’s biggest inning in four years.
McRae learned when he got to the ballpark about four hours before game time that he was going to make his first start.
“I was excited, obviously a little bit of nerves the first inning,” McRae said. “No excuses though.”
Ten days earlier, the Reds gave up a 10-run inning by the Cardinals during a 12-11 loss at Great American Ball Park. This time, they were on the other end of one .
They piled up six hits and three walks while sending 13 batters to the plate. Joey Votto singled home a pair of runs, first baseman Josh Bell had a throwing error, and Iglesias’ second career grand slam off Montana DuRapau made it 10-1.
After he rounded the bases, Iglesias rubbed his hair in the dugout and told teammates he’d make good on a promise.
“I told them before the game that ‘If I hit a home run, I would paint my hair like you guys,'” Iglesias said.
What color?
“Purple or yellow,” he said.
Every Reds player scored in an inning for the first time since Sept. 3, 1975, when they beat the Dodgers 13-2, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Cincinnati hadn’t scored so many runs in an inning since it also had 10 in the sixth against Detroit on Aug. 24, 2015.
“That doesn’t happen a lot, but we’ve been so in tune with our players and our offense these days,” manager David Bell said. “An inning like that can be really good for offense.”
Sonny Gray (6-6) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings, including Starling Marte’s 18th homer and Bryan Reynolds’ ninth. Colin Moran hit his third career grand slam off Wandy Peralta.
The game matched the NL Central’s bottom teams. The Pirates have anchored themselves in last place by going 2-15 after the All-Star break, prompting them to trade Lyles two days before the deadline.
BAD KARMA
During that 17-game stretch, the Pirates have led only three times after the fifth inning.
NEWCOMER
DuRapau was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Lyles’ spot on the roster. He pitched in 10 games during three previous stints with the Pirates this season.
KEEP GOING
Hurdle says the Pirates have incentive to keep playing hard even as they trade away players.
“There’s an honor code out there about continuing to play,” Hurdle said pregame. “And the one thing we do mention is the name on the front of the jersey is important. It’s important for the fan base, it’s important to your organization, the people who work for your organization. And that name on the back should be important to you because you’re carrying your family name out there every day.”
TERRIBLE TWOS
The Pirates’ previous worst inning? They gave up nine runs — also in the second inning — during a 14-8 loss to the Cardinals on July 24.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Left-hander Steven Brault could start a rehab assignment Thursday. He’s been in the injured list since July 6 with a strained left shoulder. … Corey Dickerson missed a third straight game with a sore groin. He might return during the series.
Reds: Reliever David Hernandez might be activated during the series. He’s been sidelined since July 18 with a sore right shoulder.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Joe Musgrave (7-9) has matched his career high with seven wins, accomplished with the Astros in 2017. He won his other start against the Reds this season, throwing seven scoreless innings for a 2-0 victory on April 5 at PNC Park.
Reds: Tanner Roark (6-6) is 3-1 in eight career starts against the Pirates. He had no decision in a 6-5 loss on April 30 at Pittsburgh.
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Conforto, Vargas lead Mets over Pirates for 4th straight win
By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Conforto sparked New York’s offense with a two-run homer in a six-run first inning against Chris Archer, and the Mets held on to beat the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 Sunday to match their longest winning streak this season at four games.
Jason Vargas (6-5) won a third straight start for the first time since last August, and the Mets completed a three-game sweep. New York improved to 10-5 since the All-Star break, passing Cincinnati, Colorado and Pittsburgh in the standings. The Mets (50-55) started Sunday six games back in the NL wild-card race with six teams in front.
Pittsburgh was 2½ games off the NL Central lead at the break but has lost 14 of 16, including eight in a row.
Given a 6-0 lead, Vargas allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He could be dangled by the Mets ahead of Wednesday’s trade deadline along with fellow starters Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler.
Vargas, a 36-year-old left-hander, can become a free agent after the World Series unless his $8 million club option for 2020 is exercised. Wheeler can go free this fall but Syndergaard is far more valuable — he can’t become a free agent until after the 2021 season.
Jacob deGrom, Wheeler and Steven Matz got the victories earlier in the Mets’ streak. New York starting pitchers had not won four straight games since Robert Gsellman, Matt Harvey, Seth Lugo and Rafael Montero in September 2017.
New York led 8-3 in the ninth before Bryan Reynolds had a two-run homer off Tyler Bashlor and José Osuna hit a two-run drive against Edwin Díaz, who got the next two outs for his 23rd save in 27 chances.
Archer (3-8) allowed five hits and four walks in five innings, raising his ERA to 5.58. He is 0-3 in his last nine starts, 0-4 on the road this season and has allowed 25 home runs, second in the major leagues to 28 off Houston ace Justin Verlander. Archer is 28-47 since the start of 2016 after going 32-32 in his first four seasons.
He threw 48 pitches in the first, falling behind when Conforto hit an opposite-field drive to left and reached 20 homers for the third straight season. Todd Frazier, J.D. Davis and Amed Rosario had RBI singles, and Aaron Altherr added a sacrifice fly. The inning was prolonged when third baseman Jung Ho Kang failed to catch Archer’s throw on a bunt.
Altherr entered as a pinch hitter for Jeff McNeil, who was hit on the right shin by a pitch earlier in the inning.
Jacob Stallings hit a solo homer for the Pirates, who closed to 6-3 in the fifth inning but were hurt by a sloppy game that included three errors and three unearned runs.
Stallings appeared to lose track of outs while running the bases in the fourth, possibly costing a run; Osuna dropped a foul pop near first for an error; reliever Francisco Liriano failed to cover first on Robinson Canó’s rounder to the right side, leading to an usual 3-6-4 double play; and two-time Gold Glove Starling Marté was charged with an error for failing to catch Conforto’s flyout in what became a two-run sixth.
PIITSBURGH PARADOX
Prates manager Clint Hurdle on how to motivate his team: “I’ve used before the Stockdale Paradox. You have to have a sense of reality, but you need to remain optimistic. The harsh reality is we haven’t played well for two weeks. The optimism is, as I said, there’s been six games that we could have won along the way and that flips the record with one hit or one well-placed out.”
SCUFFLING
Canó was hitless in three at-bats against Archer, dropping to 0 for 19 against him. … Kang struck out four times.
FOWL POLES
Citi Field’s foul poles are now fowl poles, with an ad for a chicken company attached to them.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: LF Corey Dickerson missed his second straight game due to left groin discomfort.
Mets: X-rays on McNeil’s shin were negative.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Jordan Lyles (5-7) starts Monday at Cincinnati and RHP Sonny Gray (5-6). Lyles has allowed 16 runs — 13 earned — over eight innings in his last three starts.
Mets: Syndergaard (7-5) is scheduled to start Tuesday at the Chicago White Sox against RHP Reynaldo López (5-9).
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Matz gets 1st complete game, Mets blank sinking Pirates 3-0
By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Matz threw an efficient five-hitter for his first complete game in 90 major league starts, and the New York Mets got home runs from Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis in a 3-0 victory Saturday night over the sinking Pittsburgh Pirates.
Matz (6-6) struck out seven and walked none, needing just 99 pitches to earn his first win since June 8 against Colorado. The left-hander, making his third start since a brief stint in the bullpen, handed the last-place Pirates their seventh straight loss and 13th in 15 games since the All-Star break.
Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was only around for the first three batters of a swift contest that took 2 hours, 10 minutes. Hurdle was ejected by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt after Starling Marte was called out on strikes to end the top of the first inning.
It appeared Hurdle came onto the field to escort Marte away and make sure he didn’t get tossed. But when the skipper said something to Wendelstedt from a distance, it was Hurdle who was given the thumb.
Pirates starter Trevor Williams (3-4) held the Mets hitless until Davis doubled off the right center wall with two outs in the fifth.
Conforto sent a changeup into the second deck in right field for a solo shot in the sixth. Davis added a two-run drive to center in the seventh after Pittsburgh shortstop Jung Ho Kang let Todd Frazier’s popup drop for a gift single.
Matz went right at the slumping Pirates, throwing 67 strikes. He was aided by two timely double plays, including when New York went around the horn on Melky Cabrera with runners at the corners to end the sixth.
Three innings later, Matz pounded his pitching hand into his glove after retiring All-Star slugger Josh Bell on a routine grounder for the final out.
The fourth-place Mets (49-55) have won three in a row and are 9-5 since the All-Star break.
NEW ADDITION
Mets outfielder Jeff McNeil and his wife, Tatiana, indeed adopted that rescued puppy he wanted that was brought to Citi Field by the North Shore Animal League on Friday — not long before McNeil hit a three-run homer. The couple visited the puppy together Saturday as planned. “Once she picked her up, it was game over,” McNeil said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: LF Corey Dickerson was out of the starting lineup after leaving Friday night’s game with left groin discomfort. He took indoor swings in the afternoon and hoped to be available off the bench. Cabrera started in left. … LHP Steven Brault (shoulder strain) threw a bullpen.
Mets: LF Dominic Smith went on the 10-day injured list with a stress reaction in his left foot, and it’s unclear how long he’ll be out. Davis started in left field, and New York selected the contract of OF Aaron Altherr from Triple-A Syracuse. … Mets manager Mickey Callaway was “pretty confident” closer Edwin Díaz would be available if needed. Díaz was held out as a precaution Friday night while nursing a sore left big toe. He was hit in the foot by a line drive Thursday. … OF Brandon Nimmo (neck) has been ramping up baseball activities but is still a while from playing in a game, Callaway said. Nimmo has been sidelined since May 21.
ROSTER MOVES
Pittsburgh claimed RHP Parker Markel off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, RHP Rookie Davis (finger blister) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Chris Archer (3-7, 5.40 ERA) pitches the series finale Sunday. He is 0-2 with a 5.65 ERA in his last eight starts, and 0-3 in eight outings on the road this season.
Mets: LHP Jason Vargas (5-5, 3.96), perhaps an under-the-radar trade candidate as Wednesday’s deadline approaches, has a 1.83 ERA in seven starts at home this season. He allowed only one hit in six shutout innings with eight strikeouts to beat San Diego on Tuesday.
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Trade target Wheeler brings heat as Mets beat Bucs 6-3
By JAKE SEINER AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — After missing 2 1/2 weeks with a shoulder issue, Zack Wheeler felt some relief when leadoff hitter Corey Dickerson swung through his 98 mph fastball Friday night.
No doubt, the Mets right-hander did his part heating up the hot stove ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
Wheeler, among the major leagues’ most likely players to be dealt, showed off a live arm in his return from the injured list, and New York hit four homers to beat the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3.
Wheeler (7-6) struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings in his first start since July 7 due to right shoulder fatigue — an issue he called an impingement. With contending teams watching closely, the right-hander averaged 96.8 mph on his fastball and looked sharp until Adam Frazier clocked a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Wheeler allowed three runs, six hits and no walks.
“I thought he threw the ball great,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He held his stuff, and he said he felt outstanding when he came out.”
Jeff McNeil hit a three-run homer, and Todd Frazier, Pete Alonso and Wilson Ramos added solo shots for the Mets. Alonso’s homer was his 34th.
Pirates rookie starter Dario Agrazal (2-1) got roughed up for the first time in his short big league career, and Pittsburgh dropped its sixth straight. The Pirates are 2-13 since the All-Star break and have allowed 12 homers over their past three games.
“We’ve had some challenges keeping the ball in the ballpark,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s been a rough stretch from that standpoint.”
With Mets closer Edwin Díaz nursing a sore left big toe a day after being hit by a line drive, Seth Lugo pitched the ninth for his first save of the year.
Wheeler, who can become a free agent after the season, expects to be dealt prior to the July 31 deadline and even has his bags packed at home. Callaway acknowledged that Wheeler faced a “difficult task” tuning out the trade talk, but he expected the 29-year-old to lock in for game time.
He looked sharp early but allowed a run in the second on two soft singles and Colin Moran’s one-hopper that skipped off shortstop Amed Rosario’s glove for an RBI infield single.
Wheeler retired 12 straight before running into trouble in the sixth. Melky Cabrera led off with a single, and Adam Frazier drove a two-run shot to cut New York’s lead to 4-3. Wheeler got an out and allowed a single to Josh Bell before being pulled after 73 pitches.
Mets fans near the home dugout gave Wheeler a standing ovation as he walked off.
Wheeler has experience with the deadline drama. Sunday will mark eight years since he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants for veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran.
“You just try to stay locked in,” Wheeler said. “I’ve been through it before. It’s just noise at this point. You just have to stay locked in. If you don’t, you’re going to go out there and do crappy.”
McNeil and Ramos each hit their 10th homers. Todd Frazier clubbed his 14th a day after ending a 1-for-18 skid with two hits.
Agrazal was pulled after allowing Alonso’s one-out homer in the sixth. He gave up five runs on three homers, and his ERA rose from 2.25 to 3.24 in his sixth career start.
“I went out there with the same mentality, same game plan, same preparation,” he said through a translator. “Sometimes, it’s just baseball. They have the bat as well.”
DEADLINE ACQUISITION?
McNeil video chatted with his wife, Tatiana, pregame to ask her permission to bring home a rescued puppy brought to the ballpark by the North Shore Animal League. McNeil said the couple planned to visit with the puppy Saturday before making a decision.
“I think hitting a home run after holding a puppy, I think that gives me a little bargaining chip,” McNeil said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Dickerson was pulled in the third with left groin discomfort. Hurdle said Dickerson felt the discomfort making a defensive play in the second inning.
Mets: Callaway opted to give Díaz a night off to heal his big toe, although Díaz said he was feeling well and declared himself ready to pitch. X-rays were negative, and Díaz threw from 90 feet before the game without issue. … RHP Walker Lockett was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make space for Wheeler.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Steven Matz (5-6, 4.75 ERA) makes his third start since a brief stint in the bullpen. He pitched six innings of two-run ball against San Francisco in his previous outing. The Pirates will send out RHP Trevor Williams (3-3, 4.96).
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Cards tie Cubs for NL Central lead behind Goldschmidt
By WES CROSBY Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt’s power streak helped lift the St. Louis Cardinals into a share of the NL Central lead for the first time since early May.
Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, lifting the Cardinals over the Pittsburgh 6-3 on Thursday for a four-game sweep of the Pirates.
St. Louis won the eighth time in nine games and at 55-47 tied the idle Chicago Cubs for first. St. Louis last held the lead before play on May 7.
Goldschmidt drove in nine runs and had four of the Cardinals’ 12 home runs during sweep.
“He’s an impressive guy,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “We’re seeing what he’s capable of consistently. We’re not surprised.”
With St. Louis ahead 2-1 in the fourth, Goldschmidt drove a changeup from Joe Musgrove (7-9) for his 22nd home run. He has one homer in each of his past five games against Pittsburgh.
“We’ve been finding some holes,” Goldschmidt said. “We’ve been hitting extra-base hits.”
Kolten Wong homered later in the fourth and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run drive for a 6-1 margin in the fifth as the Cardinals won for the 11th time in 14 games since the All-Star break, including their last five.
Pittsburgh was outscored 30-19 in the series and has lost 11 of 13.
“We haven’t played winning baseball,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I know that’s an overstatement, but it’s a statement, and it’s true. We haven’t played winning baseball. We haven’t connected the dots.”
Miles Mikolas (7-10) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.
“I felt good to have a couple games in a row getting into the sixth and close to the seventh,” Mikolas said. “Thought I had everything working today. Maybe not my best fastball, but I thought I had good control of the slider and the other off-speed stuff.”
Musgrove matched his season high by giving up six runs — five earned — and seven hits in five innings. He faulted his slider.
“I thought they were kind of able to eliminate that pitch,” he said. “I threw a lot of really good ones just right off the edge. I couldn’t get them to chase.”
José Martinez hit an RBI single in the first and scored on Paul DeJong’s sacrifice fly. Bryan Reynolds’s sacrifice fly cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1 in the third.
Right-hander Alex McRae, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, followed Musgrove and gave up one walk in 1 2/3 innings. To make room on the 25-man roster, right-hander Luis Escobar was optioned to Indianapolis.
Starling Marte extended his hit streak to six games with a double in the sixth that cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to 6-2, and later scored on a groundball from Colin Moran for the 6-3 final. While Marte has been consistent, Pirates first baseman Josh Bell continues to struggle.
Bell, who was 1 for 3 with one walk Thursday, has seven hits in 38 at bats with two RBIs since the All-Star break. After hitting 27 home runs before the break, he has yet to homer since.
“I feel like I just have to focus on, I guess, being more selective for the time being,” Bell said. “Seeing the last series or so, how guys are attacking me, I’m just going to try to go from there and hunt my pitch, and try not to miss it. See if that helps me get back on the right track.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: INF Matt Carpenter, returning from a bruised right foot, was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in six innings at third base on Wednesday night in his second injury rehabilitation game for Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday night.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-6), seeking his first win since May 14, starts Friday against Houston. He has given up two runs in 18 1/3 innings in his past three starts.
Pirates: RHP Dario Agrazal (2-0) starts Friday at the New York Mets. The 24-year-old rookie has allowed eight runs — seven earned — in 28 innings over five starts.
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Goldschmidt homers again, surging Cardinals nip Pirates 4-3
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — With the bases loaded with no outs in a one-run game and Pittsburgh All-Star first baseman Josh Bell walking into the batter’s box, St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux paid a visit to rookie Dakota Hudson and offered a reminder.
Relax, Maddux told the 24-year-old. You’re a groundball pitcher. Get a groundball and get on with it.
“That was pretty much how it was,” Hudson said. “I just went after him and tried to attack him the best I could.”
Hudson was OK with giving up one run but not two. He needn’t have worried. The way he’s dealing for the streaking Cardinals, it might be time to raise the bar.
Hudson struck out Bell on three pitches, then got Colin Moran to hit into an inning-ending double play to preserve the lead and help St. Louis hold on for a 4-3 victory on Tuesday night.
“That was the key, the bases-loaded jam with nobody out,” St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said. “It was a huge part of the game. It kind of reiterates the point of not making it bigger than it is, just bearing down and making pitches, knowing he’s two pitches away with what he has. He did a fantastic job.”
It was an exclamation point on an outing that began ominously for Hudson (10-4). He gave up three runs before recording an out — all on Starling Marte’s 17th home run — but settled down quickly. He didn’t allow a run the rest of the way, working 6 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and three walks to improve to 8-1 in his last 12 starts. Giovanny Gallegos and Andrew Miller retired the last eight Pittsburgh batters, with Miller throwing a perfect ninth for his third save.
Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a go-ahead grand slam in the 10th inning on Monday, delivered a two-run drive to the left-field seats in the third inning off Chris Archer (3-7). José Martínez put St. Louis in front with a solo shot leading off the fifth , and the pitching did the rest as St. Louis moved to 9-3 since the All-Star break to close ground on the first-place Chicago Cubs in the quickly widening NL Central.
“I think we’re going to be good,” Martinez said. “Especially winning these games, these close games, I think that gets us pumped up.”
PITTSBURGH PLUNGE
The Cardinals and Pirates were separated by a half-game at the break. The gap has expanded considerably over the last two weeks. Pittsburgh fell to 2-9 since over its last 11 games, with four of the losses to St. Louis. Pittsburgh is averaging just three runs during its slide.
“I think obviously when you’re not scoring runs it looks like you’re pressing,” Moran said. “Just kind of in one of those ruts right now. I think we can get out of it any day.”
Time is running out.
Archer couldn’t take advantage of the early cushion and has now given up 24 home runs in 96 2/3 innings. Acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay last summer that sent future All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows and pitcher Tyler Glasnow to the Rays, Archer is 6-10 with a 5.01 ERA with the Pirates. Archer said he threw the ball right where he wanted on the Goldschmidt homer, but Goldschmidt turned on it anyway.
“Where we’re at in the season, I’m not trying to give up anything,” Archer said. “I’m not trying to tip my cap. I’m trying to get people out. And just unfortunate that those home runs were hit.”
Goldschmidt’s drive inside the foul pole in left with one on in the third gave him six home runs this month and 20 for the fifth straight season and seventh time in his nine-year big league career. Martínez, who preserved a 6-5, 10-inning win Monday by throwing out Kevin Newman at home, put the Cardinals in front an inning later. Hudson didn’t let the rally go to waste.
KELA EXPECTED BACK
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle expects the team to activate reliever Keone Kela when he returns from a two-game suspension on Wednesday. The Pirates suspended Kela, who recently completed a stint on the 60-day IL, on Monday for an unspecified violation of his contract.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: Activated right-handed reliever Mike Mayers (strained right side) from the 60-day IL and designated reliever Chasen Shreve, credited with Monday’s win, for assignment. … 3B Matt Carpenter (bruised right foot) was 0 for 2 with a walk for Triple-A Memphis and is scheduled to return to the Cardinals on Friday when he’s eligible to come off the IL.
Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder inflammation) met with orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Altchek in New York to have the shoulder re-evaluated. The team shut down Polanco in the middle of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis after Polanco, on the IL since June 22, complained of lingering soreness.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (6-7, 4.50 ERA) is 13- against the Pirates, the second-most victories against Pittsburgh among active pitchers.
Pirates: Jordan Lyles (5-6, 4.91) is winless since May 23 heading into his 17th start of the season. Lyles is coming off his best performance since mid-May, allowing one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings against Philadelphia last Friday.
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Fan walks to plate, Hoskins HR in 11th lifts Phils over Bucs
By WES CROSBY Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A fan casually walked to home plate and approached Philadelphia hitter Brad Miller for a handshake before being apprehended, and the Phillies later beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Sunday on Rhys Hoskins’ home run in the 11th inning.
Moments after Bryce Harper argued a called third strike and Hoskins spiked his bat after being hit by a pitch, things turned bizarre in the sixth inning at PNC Park.
That’s when a man carrying a cellphone came out of the crowd and strolled toward Miller in the batter’s box. Miller backed away and the man kept walking, leisurely getting near the Phillies’ dugout on the first base side, where he was handcuffed by security personnel and led away.
Miller then grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Hoskins hit his 21st home run, connecting off Chris Stratton (1-3). The drive came right after Harper again seemed displeased with plate umpire Ben May when striking out looking to start the inning.
Phillies reliever Ranger Suárez (3-0) got Starling Marte to ground out to end the 10th, stranding Adam Frazier at third, and worked around a hit in the 11th.
Drew Smyly made his first start with the Phillies, allowing one run and four hits in six innings. He also struck out.
The 30-year-old lefty was 1-5 with an 8.42 ERA in nine starts and four relief appearances this year for Texas, which released him on June 25. Smyly signed a minor league contract with Milwaukee on July 1, went 1-0 with a 4.97 ERA in three starts for Triple-A San Antonio, then on Thursday exercised his right to be released.
Pirates starter Dario Agrazal allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts in six innings. The 24-year-old rookie has given up a combined eight runs (seven earned) in 28 innings through his first five starts.
Melky Cabrera put the Pirates ahead 1-0 in the first with an RBI single. The Phillies tied it in the fourth when César Hernández came out of a 25-minute rain delay and singled home Harper.
ROSTER MOVE
Phillies: RHP Fernando Salas was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Smyly. Salas (0-0, 6.75) allowed two runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings across three appearances for Philadelphia this season. RHP Nick Pivetta moved to the bullpen to make room for Smyly in the rotation.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Segura left after the top of the fourth inning because of heel soreness. He was 0 for 2 before Scott Kingery moved from center field to replace Segura at shortstop.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 3.77) starts at Detroit on Tuesday. Since last losing in a 2-1 defeat against Miami on June 21, Nola is 2-0 in five starts while allowing seven runs (six earned) in 32 2/3 innings.
Pirates: RHP Trevor Williams (3-3, 5.17) could start against St. Louis on Monday if well enough after being scratched from his last projected start on Saturday because of flu-like symptoms. An official starter has not been announced.
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