Tampa Bay Rays vs Pittsburgh Pirates Match Player Stats On Jun 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 28, 2017

PITTSBURGH -- Pirates right-hander Ivan Nova labored through five innings, his shortest outing of the season, but managed to hold off the Tampa Bay Rays in a 6-2 victory Wednesday at PNC Park.

Nova (8-5), who pitched at least six innings in each of his first 15 starts -- the first Pirates pitcher to do so since Eddie Solomon in 1981 -- threw 89 pitches. He gave up two runs and seven hits, walking two and striking out one. Four relievers shut out the Rays over the last four innings.

Rookie Josh Bell hit his 15th homer and Jose Osuna had a pair of run-scoring doubles for the Pirates.

Left-hander Blake Snell (0-5), returning to the Rays after a stint in the minors, gave up four first-inning runs and took the loss. He pitched five innings, yielding six runs and six hits. He struck out six and walked five.

Evan Longoria's RBI double gave the Rays a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Nova got the final two outs to prevent further damage.

Snell, who started the season as the Rays No. 4 starter before he was sent down to Triple-A Durham on May 14, had a rocky first inning, walking three and uncorking a wild pitch. Osuna's double scored one run, another scored on a wild pitch and Elias Diaz drove in two with a single.

Corey Dickerson singled and Longoria doubled to start the Rays' third inning. Logan Morrison's fly ball to left was too shallow to score Dickerson from third, but after Nova hit Steven Souza Jr. to load the bases, Dickerson came in on Wilson Ramos' sacrifice fly to cut the Pirates' lead to 4-2.

Snell settled down and retired seven straight hitters before Bell's homer leading off the fourth gave the made it 5-2 for the Pirates. Osuna added an RBI double in the sixth.

NOTES: Tampa Bay recalled LHP Blake Snell from Triple-A Durham, selected LHP Adam Kolarek from Durham and optioned LHP Jose Alvarado and RHP Austin Pruitt to Durham. The Rays also transferred OF Kevin Kiermaier from the 10-day to the 60-day disabled list. ... 1B Josh Bell's 15 home runs tied Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (1946) for the most Pirates' homers by a rookie before the All-Star break. ... Rays C Wilson Ramos, a free-agent acquisition who returned Saturday from September knee surgery, made his second straight start behind home plate.