The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 Sunday afternoon at PNC Park. Nick Yorke and Spencer Horwitz hit home runs for the Bucs. Bryan Reynolds had two hits and drove in three. Mitch Keller earned his second victory of the season. He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits and struck out five.
Keller’s effort to go deep into the game was big for the Pirates, who had to use six relievers the day before.
The Rays won Saturday’s rain-delayed game 8-7 in 13-innings. Paul Skenes started for the Pirates. He did not allow a run on three hits over four innings and the Bucs built a 4-0 lead before rain moved in. After the game resumed, Cam Sanders allowed four runs in 2/3rds of an inning. The Pirates eventually scored a run in the eighth to tie the game and force extra innings.
The Pirates won Friday’s game 5-1. They are now 13-9 and in third place in the N.L. Central. Cincinnati is in first place, a game in front of the Bucs and a half-game in front of St. Louis. The Cubs and Brewers are 1-1/2 games behind the Reds at 12-9.
The Bucs took two of three games in the weekend series and went 7-3 on their home stand. They are off today, then begin a six-game road trip with the first of three games in Texas Tuesday.
The Pirates begin a stretch of 10-games against National League Central Division opponents this weekend in Milwaukee. They have three games against the Brewers, then four with St. Louis and three against Cincinnati.
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