Winker, Duvall push Reds past Pirates
PITTSBURGH -- Jesse Winker hit his second career homer in as many nights, a tie-breaking shot in the seventh, and Adam Duvall added a two-run blast in the ninth to lift the Cincinnati Reds past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 at PNC Park on Wednesday.
Cincinnati (44-63), which has won three straight, improved to 8-1 against the Pirates (51-56), who lost their second in a row.
Winker's solo shot, to right with one out, came off of reliever Joaquin Benoit (1-5), who made his Pirates debut after coming over from Philadelphia Monday in a trade.
Duvall's two-out homer to left, off of Pirates closer Felipe Rivero, sealed it.
Cincinnati reliever Michael Lorenzen (6-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win. Raisel Iglesias picked up his 18th save.
Reds right-hander Robert Stephenson pitched two-hit ball over 5 2/3 innings, and he allowed one run, struck out four and walked two. He set down nine Pirates in a row between the second and fourth innings.
Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams allowed two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts and two walks. He entered the game with a 10.00 ERA in four career appearances, one of them a start, against the Reds.
Williams allowed one baserunner through the first three innings, Jose Peraza's leadoff single in the third
In the fourth, the Reds scored a run against him. Winker led off with a single up the middle, went to third on Joey Votto's single to right and scored on Duvall's sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
In the fifth, Cincinnati chased Williams, who left with the bases loaded and one out after a double by Votto, an infield single by Scooter Gennett and a walk to Eugenio Suarez.
Reliever Daniel Hudson got Peraza to fly out but walked Tucker Barnhart to give the Reds a 2-0 lead before striking out Stephenson to end the inning.
Pittsburgh tied it in the sixth. Starling Marte led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Stephenson got the next two batters, but was then pulled. Lorenzen gave up back-to-back RBI hits to Josh Bell and Adam Frazier to make it 2-2.
NOTES: Pittsburgh 2B Josh Harrison missed a second straight start after leaving Sunday's game because of left lower leg discomfort, although he appeared as a pinch-hitter. ... Pittsburgh LHP Wade LeBlanc was placed on the bereavement list due to an illness in his family. ... Pittsburgh RHP Dovydas Neverauskas was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco (left hamstring strain) was reinstated from the DL and started. ... Pittsburgh OF Jordan Luplow was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday's game because of an ankle issue. ... Cincinnati RF Scott Schebler, who went on the DL Tuesday, has a bruised rotator cuff and will be out "a few weeks," but won't need surgery, manager Bryan Price said.