Field Level Media
Apr 19, 2019
Pirates right-hander Jordan Lyles pitched six four-hit, scoreless innings before leaving because of a hand injury Friday, and Pittsburgh earned a fourth consecutive win, 4-1 over the visiting San Francisco Giants.
Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run double, and Pablo Reyes and JB Shuck each added RBI singles, all with two outs, as the Pirates scored four runs in the first.
Lyles (2-0), Pittsburgh's fifth starter and part of a rotation that led the National League entering the night with a collective 2.09 ERA, struck out six and walked one. He lowered his ERA to 0.53.
Lyles left after an inning-ending double-play comebacker by Joe Panik in the sixth grazed his pitching hand as he instinctively ducked and raised his hands. He was being evaluated for a contusion.
Pittsburgh's sixth pitcher of the night, Felipe Vazquez, struck out the side in order in the ninth for his sixth save.
Lyles wasn't the only player to be injured for Pittsburgh, which already was without regular second baseman and leadoff batter Adam Frazier, scratched due to back spasms.
In the eighth, Pirates center fielder Starling Marte and shortstop Erik Gonzalez collided while chasing a fly ball hit by Giants pinch hitter Yangervis Solarte. Marte rode off the field on a cart seemingly favoring his abdomen. Gonzalez walked off after having his left collarbone/shoulder area examined.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (1-3) gave up the four first-inning runs before settling down to go another five innings. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out seven.
In the bottom of the first inning, Jung Ho Kang drew a two-out walk and went to second on Josh Bell's single to right -- a hit that extended Bell's hitting streak to eight games. They both scored when Cervelli broke an 0-for-24 drought with a double to deep left.
Reyes and Shuck each followed with RBI singles for a 4-0 Pittsburgh lead.
After Solarte's single on the Marte-Gonzalez collision in the eighth against reliever Nick Burdi, Steven Duggar walked. Panik struck out. Richard Rodriguez replaced Burdi and gave up an RBI single to Buster Posey to make it 4-1.
The start of the game was delayed about 1 1/2 hours due to rain.
--Field Level Media