The Sports Xchange
Aug 5, 2017
PITTSBURGH -- Gregory Polanco hit his first career pinch-hit homer, a three-run blast that bounced into the Allegheny River, to highlight a six-run seventh inning Friday night in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 10-6 win over the San Diego Padres at PNC Park.
Polanco's 434-foot homer, which cleared the stands in right field off reliever Kirby Yates (2-2), gave the Pirates a 7-6 lead. Adam Frazier's sacrifice fly later in the inning increased the advantage to 8-6, and Josh Harrison added a two-run single.
Yates was charged with six runs on four hits in one-third of an inning.
A.J. Schugel (2-0) pitched one-third of an inning for the win.
The Pirates (53-56) won their second straight game and climbed to within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
San Diego (48-60) lost for the fifth time in the past 11 games.
The game was scoreless through four innings. The Padres came out of the fifth with a 3-2 lead, and Yangervis Solarte's 11th homer increased that to 4-2 in the sixth.
David Freese led off the Pittsburgh sixth with his eighth homer, making it 4-3, and Frazier's RBI single later in the inning tied it 4-4.
Manuel Margot's ninth homer, a solo shot to left off Pirates reliever Joaquin Benoit, broke a tie to give San Diego a 5-4 lead in the Padres seventh. Cory Spangenberg drew a bases-loaded walk later that inning for a 6-4 lead.
Travis Wood, making his first road start in a Padres uniform, pitched into the sixth. He allowed four runs and six hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Pittsburgh starter Ivan Nova went six innings. Only one of his four runs allowed was earned, and he gave up six hits while striking out five and walking two.
NOTES: The start was delayed two hours, five minutes by rain. ... Pittsburgh 2B Josh Harrison (left lower leg) returned after missing three starts, with one pinch-hitting appearance. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli (unspecified injury) returned after missing two starts. ... San Diego OF Travis Jankowski was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. ... San Diego RHP Jered Weaver (left hip inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.