The Sports Xchange
Aug 7, 2017
PITTSBURGH -- Trevor Williams pitched one-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, and John Jaso smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer Monday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0 at PNC Park.
George Kontos, in his Pittsburgh debut after being picked up off waivers Saturday, and Juan Nicasio each pitched a perfect inning in relief to complete the shutout. Nicasio earned his second save.
The Tigers' only hit was a leadoff single by James McCann in the third.
Williams (5-4) walked two, struck out five and threw a career-high 107 pitches. He was coming off two consecutive no-decisions in which he allowed a combined three earned runs. He has yielded more than three earned runs just once in his first nine starts at PNC Park.
Jaso, batting for Williams, hit his eighth homer, third as a pinch hitter, in the seventh inning, giving Pittsburgh a cushion. The Pirates had been riding a 1-0 lead since Francisco Cervelli's RBI double in the second.
Pittsburgh (55-57) won its second straight. Detroit (51-60) lost its third in a row.
Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann (7-9) had a strong outing, just not as strong as Williams'. Zimmermann, attempting to win consecutive starts for the first time since late April, allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings with two strikeouts and three walks.
With one out in the second, Gregory Polanco was hit by a Zimmermann pitch. Cervelli drove in Polanco with a two-out double to the right-center gap for a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh, Cervelli walked with two outs and scored on Jaso's homer to make it 3-0.
NOTES: Pittsburgh RHP George Kontos reported to the team and tossed a 1-2-3 inning. He was acquired Saturday off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. The Pirates cleared a roster spot by optioning RHP Dovydas Neverauskas to Triple-A Indianapolis. Neverauskas pitched a total of four scoreless innings in three relief appearances for Pittsburgh this month. ... Pittsburgh OF Danny Ortiz cleared waivers and was outrighted to Indianapolis. ... Detroit 3B Jeimer Candelario was promoted from Triple-A Toledo while SS Jose Iglesias is on bereavement leave.