Andrew McCutchen of Pirates Named National League Player of the Week

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending October 1st. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

McCutchen posted a slash line of .471/.526/1.000 with six runs scored, eight hits, three doubles, two home runs and nine RBI over five games played to claim his seventh career NL Player of the Week Award, last winning for the period ending August 9, 2015. Among NL leaders, Andrew finished the period tied for first in RBI and slugging percentage; tied for second in extra-base hits (5); third in batting average; tied for third in runs scored and home runs; and tied for sixth in doubles. This is Pittsburgh's first NL Player of the Week Award of the 2017 season, and the first since Sean Rodriguez last year for the period ending September 18th.

On Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park, the five-time NL All-Star went a perfect 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and eight RBI. Included in his fourth multi-homer effort of the season, McCutchen clubbed the first grand slam of his career. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 11th overall selection in the 2005 MLB Draft became the sixth player in Major League history to hit his first career grand slam after logging at least 200 career round-trippers, joining Sammy Sosa (246), Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell (217), Bob Horner (209), Kirk Gibson (202) and Eric Karros (202). In addition, the 2013 NL Most Valuable Player became the third Pirates player since 1920, when RBI became an official statistic, to record at least four hits, four runs scored and eight RBI in a single contest, joining Johnny Rizzo (1939) and Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (1950). McCutchen's historic game was the third this season in which a player logged such a stat line, following Anthony Rendon (April 30th) of the Washington Nationals and Scooter Gennett (June 6th) of the Cincinnati Reds. "Cutch," a Fort Meade, Florida native, logged his 539th career extra-base hit in yesterday's season finale against the Washington Nationals, reaching the 30-double milestone for the sixth time in his career. His extra-base hit total ranks seventh in franchise history, trailing Hall of Famers Willie Stargell (953), Honus Wagner (865), Paul Waner (852), Roberto Clemente (846), Pie Traynor (593) and Max Carey (590).

Other noteworthy performances last week included infielder Ozzie Albies (.343, 12 H, 5 RBI, 5 SB) of the Atlanta Braves; All-Star outfielder Charlie Blackmon (.455, 3 R, 10 H, 8 RBI), backstop Jonathan Lucroy (.500, 5 R, 3 XBH, 9 BB) and shortstop Trevor Story (.381, 6 R, 5 XBH, 9 RBI) of the Colorado Rockies; four-time All-Star starting pitcher Jon Lester (2-0, 0.82 ERA, 11.0 IP, 11 SO) of the Chicago Cubs; infielder Miguel Rojas (.524, 3 R, 6 XBH, 6 RBI) of the Miami Marlins; and three-time All-Star starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.2 IP, 8 SO) of the Washington Nationals.

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Andrew McCutchen will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.

Pirates hit Cardinals with 8-run first in 11-6 win

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates used an eight-run first inning Saturday night to put a dent in the St. Louis Cardinals' push for a playoff spot with an 11-6 win at PNC Park.

St. Louis (81-73), which had its winning streak stopped at four, missed a chance to move into second place in the National League Central. The Cardinals trail the Milwaukee Brewers by a half-game and the first-place Chicago Cubs by five.

The Cardinals were 1 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot entering the day pending the Colorado outcome later Saturday.

Jordy Mercer was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, David Freese had three RBIs and Starling Marte added two RBIs for Pittsburgh (70-85), which is reduced to a spoiler role.

The eight-run first, when Pittsburgh sent 12 players to the plate and took an 8-2 lead, was highlighted by Mercer's two-run triple, Marte's RBI triple, Freese's leadoff double and four singles.

St. Louis starter Lance Lynn (11-8) was charged with all eight runs, six that crossed the plate while he was on the mound and two that Josh Lucas inherited.

Lynn's pitching line was like something from a nightmare -- eight runs and six hits with two walks and a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. He has one win in his past nine starts.

Pittsburgh bumped its lead to 10-3 through five innings before St. Louis scored three in the sixth -- including tying a major league record by using six pinch hitters in the inning -- to close to 10-6.

Freese added an RBI double in the eighth to make it 11-6.

Pittsburgh starter Gerrit Cole (12-11) allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings with one walk and five strikeouts to break an 0-3 streak at home. He had gotten just five runs of support in his previous five starts, totaling 32 innings, but had plenty Saturday.

St. Louis' first inning looked promising with Tommy Pham hitting his 22nd homer, a two-run shot to dead center, but that was dwarfed by what the Pirates did in the bottom of the inning.

Pittsburgh's key hit that inning came from Mercer. He stepped to the plate with a 3-2 lead, the bases loaded and one out. He looped the ball into shallow center, where Dexter Fowler raced in and dived forward but missed, letting the ball get behind him.

It appeared that Mercer might have a shot at an inside-the-park homer, but he had to hold up at third with a still-impressive bases-clearing triple.

The Cardinals made it 8-3 on Pham's RBI double in the third, but Pittsburgh answered in the bottom of the third against Adam Wainwright when Marte's sacrifice fly made it 9-3.

The Pirates reached double figures in the fifth on Mercer's RBI double, making it 10-3.

NOTES: St. Louis 1B Jose Martinez, who left Friday in the seventh because of a sprained left thumb, had tests in St. Louis that showed no serious damage, manager Mike Matheny said. ... Matt Carpenter moved from 3B to 1B for the Cardinals, with Jedd Gyorko returning to his normal spot at 3B. ... Pittsburgh OF Jordan Luplow was named the organization's minor league player of the year and LHP Steven Brault the minor league pitcher of the year.

Happ right at home in Cubs' victory over Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- It was Ian Happ's second trip home as a major-leaguer, and the Chicago Cubs' rookie made sure what surely was his final game at PNC Park this season was a good one.

"It's always great for me to come home and play at PNC. I had a lot of family and friends out there," Happ, from suburban Mt. Lebanon, said after he had three hits, scored twice as the Cubs' leadoff batter and threw a runner out at home from center field in Chicago's 8-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cubs (77-63) salvaged a split in the four-game series after dropping the first two by a combined 16-3.

Albert Almora Jr. hit a two-run homer, and Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks as Chicago pounded out 13 hits to back starter Jon Lester, who got stronger over the course of his six innings.

"Yeah, it was a good day all around for the whole team," Happ said. "Jonny fought hard and pitched a heck of a game, and everybody did their part on offense."

Chicago scored a run in each of the first four innings, then scored two in the fifth for a 6-1 lead. Almora's homer made it 8-1 in the seventh.

"We put up that picket fence early," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We could have scored a lot more runs. We left a lot of chicken on the bone."

Chicago left seven on and was 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Pittsburgh (67-74) added a run in the eighth on Jordan Luplow's RBI double.

Lester (10-7), in his second start after coming off the disabled list, gave up one run and five hits in his six innings. He set the Pirates down in order in the fifth and sixth. He walked four and struck out five.

"The first couple innings, (I was) able to get ahead of guys, just wasn't really able to get them out as quickly as we would have liked to," Lester said. "Whether that's a little bit of rust or being too fine, I don't know, but we got through it and a couple good defensive plays helped."

Lester kept the Pirates off-balance.

"Veteran guy making pitches," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We had some punch-outs looking. You normally want to get guys on and run them into the barrel. You have to put some balls in play."

Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon (7-6) gave up six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings, with one walk and three strikeouts. Taillon hasn't won since Aug. 11 but was coming off a no-decision against Cincinnati in which he pitched six scoreless innings.

"Frustrating, I guess, is probably the best word," Taillon said. "I felt strong. I felt great. But no one cares how you feel. You've got to go out, get results and get guys out. I feel great, but they were just hitting every single mistake I made."

Hurdle said earlier that Taillon, 25, might be asked to skip his next start or perhaps even get shut down for the rest of the season.

Maddon can see why.

"That kid's so good," Maddon said. "He might be losing a little steam right now. He wasn't as sharp as I've seen him in the past."

Chicago got the leadoff batter on base in four of the five innings Taillon started.

In the first, Happ singled to right, went to third on Kris Bryant's double off the wall in right and scored on Rizzo's sacrifice fly.

The Cubs made it 2-0 when Javier Baez led off the second with a double to the corner in left, went to third on a grounder and scored on Rene Rivera's sacrifice bunt. Taillon fielded the bunt but twisted his body awkwardly and stumbled a bit as he turned to make the throw to first. He was briefly seen by a trainer.

Taillon might have had an RBI in the second, but Happ scooped up his single to shallow center and gunned down Jordy Mercer trying to score from second.

"How about the throw to the plate?" Maddon said. "I didn't really pick up on how tight he was until once he made the throw."

Happ led off the third with a double high off the wall in right and, an out later, scored on Rizzo's single up the middle for a 3-0 lead.

Pittsburgh scored in the third to make it 3-1. Starling Marte and Max Moroff walked and moved up on Andrew McCutchen's groundout. Marte scored on Josh Bell's groundout.

Chicago increased its lead to 4-1 in the fourth on Lester's RBI double after back-to-back, one-out singles by Jason Heyward and Rivera.

In the fifth, Baez drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt and Heyward rapped an RBI double for a 6-1 lead as Chicago chased Taillon.

NOTES: The start was delayed 53 minutes by rain. ... Pittsburgh RHP George Kontos (groin) was reinstated from the disabled list. ... Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco (hamstring) and INF/OF Adam Frazier (hamstring) could come off the DL on Friday for the series opener at St. Louis, manager Clint Hurdle said. ... Chicago begins an important NL Central series Friday against Milwaukee. RHP John Lackey (11-10, 4.74 ERA) faces the Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (11-6, 3.59) in the opener.

Pirates look to make things tough for Cubs again

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(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates would not seem to have a realistic shot at the postseason.

They sit 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, and they are 7 1/2 games behind the Colorado Rockies in the chase for the second NL wild card.

However, the past few days, the Pirates (67-73) gave the Cubs (76-63) a taste of the kind of tough games that Chicago might expect in the playoffs.

The Cubs won a 1-0 pitchers' duel Wednesday after dropping the first two games of a series at PNC Park 12-0 and 4-3. The four-game set concludes Thursday night.

"Great win," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after the Wednesday game. "Pretty significant after (Tuesday) night's tough loss."

The defending World Series champions, who have been in first in the division since July 27, will aim to salvage a split in the four-game set Thursday night. Chicago is four games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and 4 1/2 up on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.

The Cubs' Wednesday starter, Jose Quintana, wasn't part of the championship club last season, but he is caught up in the mentality.

"I've never had the opportunity (to be in a pennant race)," said Quintana, who threw six shutout innings but got a no-decision. "To be here and be close to the playoffs ... We haven't won anything yet, but we try to continue in this race every single day.

"It's special to win a game like that when you lost the last two games."

The Pirates got some strong work from some of their young pitchers during a four-game winning streak that ended Wednesday despite the fine work of Gerrit Cole. He threw eight shutout innings, but Chicago got to reliever Daniel Hudson for a run in the ninth.

"It's been really encouraging to see the workloads, because it's hard to quantify how much of a difference it is pitching in August in Triple-A vs. August in the big leagues, and then you pile another month on it to what they're doing against the quality of competition they're pitching against," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.

Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.50 ERA) heads to the mound Thursday after getting a no-decision his last time out despite a strong performance. He pitched six scoreless innings Saturday, allowing three hits, in the Pirates' 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

That might have been a slump-busting outing. Taillon hasn't won since Aug. 11 and is 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break.

"I haven't really had that tough of a stretch like I just had at this level. It's tough," Taillon said before Saturday. "This is the best league in the world. Results are all that matters. In the minor leagues, there's always developmental things. Up here, you want to pitch well and keep your team in games.

"It's my first year going start to finish in the big leagues. I want to finish strong. I want to go out on a high note. Each start's an opportunity for me to learn something new about what I do and my craft.

"More than anything, I've learned that I belong. Good start or bad start, I feel like I'm a major league starting pitcher."

Taillon is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs, and he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts against Chicago this season.

Chicago will go with Jon Lester (9-7, 4.46 ERA). The veteran left-hander returned from the disabled list (shoulder fatigue) Saturday to face the Atlanta Braves, and he allowed four runs in five innings to pick up a win in a 14-12 Cubs blowout.

Lester could have nightmares when it comes to the Pirates.

This will be his first start against Pittsburgh since July 9, when he gave up 10 runs in two-thirds of an inning -- the first time in his career he got pulled in the first inning and the first time since 1998 a team scored 10 or more runs in the first against the Cubs.

"It kind of speaks for itself," Lester said. "It's embarrassing."

In 11 career starts against the Pirates, he is 4-5 with a 3.39 ERA. Lester is 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh this season.

He is 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA in five starts at PNC Park.

Cubs beat Pirates 1-0 on Avila's triple in ninth

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- It wasn't a trick question. Just an inquiry about an unusual situation.

So, Alex Avila, how many broken-bat triples have you had in your career?

"Not many," Avila said, shaking his head. "I haven't broken many bats (at all), either."

Avila hit just such a liner down the right-field line in the ninth inning Wednesday night. It drove in the only run to break up a pitchers' duel as well as Chicago's three-game losing streak, lifting the Cubs to a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Anthony Rizzo drew a one-out walk against Pittsburgh reliever Daniel Hudson (2-6) in the ninth. Pinch-runner Leonys Martin stole second, and after Ian Happ struck out, Avila drove in the winner.

Chicago (76-63) has a chance to split the four-game series Thursday. The Pirates (67-73) saw their four-game win streak end.

Pedro Strop (4-4) pitched the eighth inning for the win. Wade Davis tossed the ninth for his 29th save.

Pitching was the story for most of the game as starters Gerrit Cole and Jose Quintana matched shutout innings.

Cole, the Pittsburgh starter, in particular, was stellar. He pitched eight scoreless innings, giving up two hits -- an infield single by Javier Baez in the second and a broken-bat single to left by Jon Jay in the eighth. He struck out eight and walked four, throwing 108 pitches.

"Cole pretty much had no-hit stuff," said Avila, who struck out two of the three times he face Cole. "The way he was locating with 97 (mph on his fastball), slider, curveball, he was excellent. You just had a feeling that we weren't going to have many opportunities against him. If he made a mistake, we weren't able to capitalize on it.

"He had unbelievable stuff. Just try to outlast him and keep the game where it was until we got into their bullpen and see if we got an opportunity there."

It was a strong bounce-back effort from Cole's previous start, when he gave up five earned runs in six innings against the Cincinnati Reds, but he still hasn't won at PNC Park since June 13.

"I was able to get the pitch count back down in the middle innings," Cole said. "They needed to try to put something together and we just kept making good pitches early in the count and got rewarded for it."

Quintana, who won three of his previous four starts, threw six scoreless innings. He allowed six hits and one walk with six strikeouts. He threw 105 pitches.

"I felt pretty good," Quintana said. "It was a battle, a really good game, both starters. My mind was, 'Keep the game close.'"

The Cubs had runners on first and second in each of the first two innings. After back-to-back one-out walks in the first, Cole got Rizzo to ground into a double play.

The Cubs got a two-out walk and Baez's infield single in the second before Cole struck out Quintana.

Cole, particularly in the first, showed some frustration with the calls from plate umpire Paul Nauert.

"It wasn't like he wasn't efficient in the first," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "There was some calls that could have gone our way and could have shortened that inning up. To make the pitch to get out of that inning was pretty impressive, as well, and then he just stayed on a roll."

Quintana's strikeout was the start of Cole's string of setting down 14 Cubs in a row, until Happ drew a one-out walk in the seventh. Happ advanced to second on a grounder but was stranded.

Pittsburgh got runners to first and second with two outs in the fourth, but Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant made a leaping snag of a liner by Jordy Mercer to end the inning.

"You have to pitch better than good pitching to win. We did," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "That's exactly what happened.

"We had a real (good) level of mental energy; it's just that their pitcher was that good."

NOTES: Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco and INF/OF Adam Frazier, both on the disabled list with hamstring injuries, ran the bases. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli (left quadriceps) has hit a plateau in his rehab. ... Pittsburgh RHP George Kontos (groin) threw a simulated game Tuesday with no problems afterward or Wednesday. ... Pittsburgh RHP Ivan Nova is expected to start Sunday at St. Louis after his spot was skipped Tuesday so he could regroup. ... Chicago C Willson Contreras (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Thursday with high Class-A Myrtle Beach. ... Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist was given the night off from the starting lineup in favor of Tommy La Stella, who went 0-for-3. ... Chicago hired former major leaguer Will Venable as a special assistant to the president and general manager.

Ryu impresses as Dodgers beat Pirates and get 90th win

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Yasmani Grandal hit one of three Los Angeles homers Thursday, but he was more impressed with starter Hyun-Jin Ryu's performance in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park that gave the Dodgers 90 wins.

"He attacked the zone, started pitching in the strike zone and all of a sudden he's into the sixth inning and cruising," Grandal said. "I think we've seen a couple of things from him, from the beginning of the year till now, that allowed him to get to where he's at right now. It's allowed him to go longer in the outing.

"Later in the game he's still throwing his best pitches and I think he's just going to get stronger from here on out."

Ryu (5-6) remained undefeated in his past nine starts, a stretch in which he is 3-0. He gave up one run and four hits in six innings.

"My second half of the season, I'm getting a feel for the game, commanding more pitches. I still have some things to work on," Ryu said. "I think I've developed my command a little bit more so I can pitch six or seven innings."

Brandon Morrow pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since May 10, 2009.

Curtis Granderson and Adrian Gonzalez also hit solo homers as Los Angeles became the fastest team in franchise history to reach 90 wins.

A day after Rich Hill flirted with a perfect game and lost a no-hitter on the Pirates' walk-off win in the 10th, the Dodgers (90-36) avoided much drama, avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time since July 21-22 and became the first team to 90 wins this season.

Pittsburgh (61-67) has lost nine of its past 12.

Pittsburgh starter Chad Kuhl (6-9) was trying try to bounce back from his worst start of the season, but again struggled. He gave up two runs and six hits in four innings, with five walks and two strikeouts, needing 93 pitches -- the same as Ryu, but in two fewer innings.

"Had some rough innings where the pitch count got up. Misfiring. Didn't get some calls," said Kuhl, who was visibly agitated about his pitches. "They were everywhere. Out, up, in. Just really bad. A lot of missed calls, and then misfires from me."

Kuhl got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first when he struck out Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig, although he needed 28 pitches in the inning.

He pushed hit pitch count to 63 through two innings, and the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on Chris Taylor's two-out RBI single.

Pittsburgh tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the second on Jordy Mercer's two-out RBI single.

Granderson pushed Los Angeles to a 2-1 lead with a towering two-out homer in the fourth down the right-field line that cleared the stands and bounced into the Allegheny River.

That gave Granderson nine homers in August and three in six games since joining the Dodgers.

Los Angeles made it 3-1 in the seven on another two-out RBI when Enrique Hernandez singled.

Adam Frazier's RBI double off former Pittsburgh left-hander Tony Watson closed it to 3-2 for the Pirates in the seventh.

Grandal and Gonzalez increased it to 5-2 with one-out solo homers in the eighth.

"I missed a lot of (hits) earlier in the series," Grandal said.

The two homers came on consecutive pitches off of reliever Angel Sanchez, who entered at the top of the inning for his major league debut. It was Gonzalez's 100th homer as a Dodger.

"I was probably a little too excited, missing some pitches," Sanchez said. "They got a good swing on it."

It was something the Dodgers didn't do with great proficiency. They pounded out 14 hits but stranded 15 runners.

"I think that at times we could probably put forth a batter at-bat, but there are other times in those situations we might line out and not cash in," manager Dave Roberts said. "For us, it's more about having that quality at-bat. You can always get better."

NOTES: Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was ejected by plate umpire Paul Emmel in the seventh after arguing a pitch call. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli (left wrist inflammation) was eligible to come off DL but did not. ... Pittsburgh is working to get 3B Jung Ho Kang (in South Korea after DUI charge) to winter ball in the Dominican Republic, according to multiple reports. ... Los Angeles returns home for three games against Milwaukee before hitting the road again. ... Pittsburgh embarks on a six-game road trip, the first of 28 straight games against National League Central clubs. ... After Pittsburgh and St. Louis played in MLB Little League Classic on Sunday, Little League World Series teams from Italy, Venezuela and Japan attended Thursday's game.

Pirates thwart Hill's no-hit bid with 10th-inning HR

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to pull Rich Hill after seven perfect innings against the Miami Marlins last Sept. 10. The Dodgers won that game, but Roberts felt "sick to my stomach" afterward.

On Wednesday night, Hill pitched nine no-hit innings and didn't allow a runner in the first eight. Roberts decided to leave Hill in for the 10th, when Josh Harrison led off with a walk-off home run, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 1-0 win at PNC Park.

This time, Roberts had mixed emotions.

"I think (I am) sad for Rich," Roberts said. "It's a game that we got beat, but I think that you look at opportunities that a player has to have a chance at a no-hitter, and he gave himself every opportunity. It's more a feeling of I'm very excited for Rich because he threw the ball so well tonight but disappointed that he didn't get that no-hitter."

Harrison, on the other hand, wasn't disappointed. He lifted a 2-1 pitch barely over the left field wall for his career-high 16th home run.

"I was hoping it wasn't caught," Harrison said. "I hit it and I knew I didn't get it all. I knew I got enough, but I knew it was a ball that (Curtis) Granderson would be able to get to. I was just hoping he didn't rob it.

"When I saw him come down on the ground, I felt like his reaction was, 'Oh, man. I just missed it.'"

Hill previously allowed only one batter to reach safely, on a ninth-inning error. He took full responsibility for the loss.

"Guys made great plays in the infield and the outfield," Hill said, "and Austin Barnes was incredible behind the plate. So it falls on me, this one. One bad pitch. Ran back over and tipped my hat."

Pirates reliever Juan Nicasio (2-5) pitched a perfect 10th for the win.

After Hill (9-5) began with eight perfect innings, Dodgers third baseman Logan Forsythe committed an error with no outs in the ninth, allowing Jordy Mercer to reach first and break up the perfect game.

Hill threw just 99 pitches, 75 of them strikes.

The Pirates (61-66) now could pick up a split of the four-game series despite losing the first two. Even with the loss, the Dodgers (89-36) have dropped just five of 20 games in August.

Josh Bell nearly broke up the no-hit attempt twice earlier.

In the second inning, he led off by bouncing a ball down the line to Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Bell was called safe when he seemingly beat Gonzalez's throw to Hill for a single.

After a challenge, however, the call was reversed.

Then in the eighth inning, Bell sharply struck a ball toward center field, but second baseman Chase Utley robbed him with a diving catch.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle praised Hill after the game.

"I can't imagine there's any dishonor walking off the field giving up one run on one hit," Hurdle said. "Man, he was effective and sharp. ... We were out there battling and trying. We weren't getting a whole lot done."

Pirates starter Trevor Williams also was impressive. He allowed seven hits and four walks but pitched seven scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Williams bounced back from arguably his worst start of the season when he gave up eight runs and seven hits in three innings of an 11-10 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

With Hill and Williams each dealing early, the Dodgers had a chance to break things open in the fourth when Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig started the inning with back-to-back singles. Williams retired the next three batters to escape unscathed, with a substantial assist from Harrison.

The Pirates second baseman robbed Forsythe of an RBI single by diving past the bag, picking the ball and throwing to first from his knees to keep it scoreless.

The Dodgers wound up 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11.

NOTES: Pirates RHP Angel Sanchez, who has never appeared in the major leagues, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. He underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 16, 2015. ... Pirates RHP Edgar Santana was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. The 25-year-old rookie allowed eight runs (seven earned) in 9 2/3 innings for Pittsburgh this season. ... Dodgers 2B Chase Utley returned to the lineup after not receiving a starting nod Tuesday. ... Dodgers C Austin Barnes replaced C Yasmani Grandal, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning Tuesday, behind the plate. ... Dodgers SS Corey Seager extended his hitting streak to 12 games, going 3-for-5.

Gonzalez reaches 2,000 hits in Dodgers' 8-5 win

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Milestones are always meaningful, no matter the context. They are even better if they help break a tie in a back-and-forth game, though.

Adrian Gonzalez made his 2,000th career hit count Tuesday when he doubled down the right field line to set up the winning run in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 8-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

After advancing to third, Gonzalez scored when Corey Seager singled to right, giving Los Angeles a 6-5 lead.

"It was nice. I think it was only fitting for him to hit a double for 2,000," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He's had a lot of doubles in his career. He's just a pro, and the longevity, what it takes to get 2,000 hits, I can't fathom. I know that his teammates are really excited for him and it's quite a milestone."

The Dodgers (89-35) have won 15 of 19 games in August. The Pirates (60-66) have gone in the opposite direction, losing eight of their past 10.

Left-handed reliever Tony Watson (7-4), who started the season as Pittsburgh's closer, pitched a perfect fifth inning for the win. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen struck out the side in a perfect ninth for his 34th save.

Pirates right-handed reliever Johnny Barbato (0-1) gave up the winning run.

Yasmani Grandal put Pittsburgh away with a two-run homer in the seventh that gave Los Angeles an 8-5 lead.

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, the Pirates chased Dodgers starter Brock Stewart by scoring five runs.

Starling Marte began the surge with a two-run homer into the left field bleachers. Marte has homered in two of his past four games after a 31-game drought without one dating to April 15 -- before his suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Josh Bell walked to load the bases with no outs. Right-handed reliever Josh Ravin replaced Stewart, who allowed five runs, four hits and four walks in two-plus innings, and immediately saw Josh Harrison smack a two-run double off the right field wall to tie it 4-4.

Harrison scored when John Jaso grounded out, giving Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead.

After the game, Roberts said Stewart dealt with a head cold. Stewart wouldn't use that as an excuse, though.

"I didn't really focus on that," Stewart said. "I felt fine once I was out there, but definitely wasn't my night. I think I just missed barely a few too many times. Tried to be a little bit too fine, and when you do that, you usually don't hit your spot when you're focusing on hitting the spot."

The Dodgers pulled even with a run in the fourth on Chris Taylor's RBI single.

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and scored three more in the second. Yasiel Puig singled before Pirates starter Jameson Taillon walked the next two batters to load the bases in the third.

Stewart singled to left to drive in Puig, and Taylor followed with another single to left, scoring Gonzalez and Logan Forsythe.

"Would you like better (from Taillon)? Yeah," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "But when he left, the game was tied. We still had a chance to win the game on the back side, and we weren't able to do that."

Taillon surrendered five runs, five hits and five walks in five innings.

"Those guys are just good hitters," Taillon said. "I felt like I made some good pitches. Anything close to the zone, if it wasn't their pitch, they were sitting on it. I was a couple balls off, but they were close pitches and they just took them."

NOTES: Pirates RHP George Kontos was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to Sunday, with a right groin strain. He doesn't expect to miss more than the minimum 10 days. ... Pirates RHP Joaquin Benoit was also placed on the 10-day DL with left knee inflammation. He walked four batters in two innings against the Dodgers on Monday. ... Pittsburgh called up RHP Edgar Santana, RHP Johnny Barbato and LHP Steven Brault from Triple-A Indianapolis while optioning RHP Dovydas Neverauskas to Indianapolis. ... Dodgers LHP Alex Wood was placed on the 10-day DL with inflammation of the sternoclavicular joint. He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings against the Pirates on Monday. ... Dodgers rookie 1B/LF Cody Bellinger also went on the 10-day DL with a mild right ankle sprain. ... Los Angeles recalled RHP Josh Ravin and RHP Brock Stewart from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Pirates, Cardinals hope to continue to swing hot bats

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(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Offense has been king through the first half of an important four-game series between National League Central rivals St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals have 22 runs and 28 hits through two games, both wins over the Pirates, who have 17 runs and 25 hits.

"The offense has really been doing a great job," St. Louis' Matt Carpenter said after Friday's 11-10 game that turned into a nail-biter. "Guys have really settled in to their roles and (are) just swinging the bats with a lot of confidence, making it tough on the opposing pitcher and grinding out at-bats."

The final two games of the series Saturday and Sunday could help shape the division. If the Cardinals (63-59) can earn a sweep, it could improve their chances of overtaking the Chicago Cubs to win the division -- their win Friday pushed them into second, a half-game ahead of Milwaukee, and kept them 1 1/2 games out of first -- and at the same time potentially bury the Pirates (58-64), who have lost six straight.

"The quality of the baseball we've played in the last 2 1/2 months has been pretty good, and that's why we are where we are," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Now the offense has come around, we feel as good as we feel all year about contending and trying to win this division. We're in position to do that."

While Pittsburgh has fallen 6 1/2 games behind Chicago, the Pirates are still feeling good about themselves after they made late, though fruitless, comebacks in both games so far this series.

"They played. They continued to play. They continued to fight," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said after Pittsburgh came back from an eight-run deficit to get within one Friday.

"They worked well in the dugout together. They continued to talk baseball. We (had) lost five in a row, we're down (11-3), and the conversations they had, nobody backed off. Just keep playing."

Understandably, Matheny is just as satisfied with St. Louis' resilience.

"Guys are continuing to grind, and I think our offense is better right now," Matheny said. "This is the offense that they need to keep fresh in their minds. It does give our pitching a little bit of room for error."

On Saturday, that will be right-hander Michael Wacha (9-5, 3.85 ERA) to start. He is 6-2 with a 2.68 ERA in his past eight starts.

His last time out, Wacha sustained his first career August loss in 17 starts. He gave up four runs and eight hits, including Brandon Phillips' 407-foot homer, with one walk and one strikeout in five innings Sunday of St. Louis' 6-3 loss to Atlanta.

While Matheny lamented a lack of run support for Wacha in that game, Wacha shouldered the blame.

"I just gave up too many runs for us," Wacha told mlb.com.

Atlanta remains the only National League opponent against which Wacha has not won.That's not a problem with the Pirates. Against Pittsburgh, he is 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 12 career appearances, including 11 starts.

Chad Kuhl (5-8, 4.64 ERA) is 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA in his past nine starts and has allowed more than two earned runs just four times in his past 14 starts.

His last time out, however, he gave up five runs (four earned) and four hits in five innings with five walks and five strikeouts on Sunday in Pittsburgh's 7-1 loss to Toronto. The thing was, all five of those Blue Jays runs came in a 40-pitch first inning.

"You'd like a redo or reset button in that first inning," Kuhl told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It kind of stinks to start off that way, but it's all behind you then. Do your best to go (forward) ... I felt fine in innings two through five. Just a tough start."

Hurdle said Kuhl was stung by "below-average command," and left pitches up in.

It would be timely for Kuhl to solve the Cardinals this series. Kuhl is 0-2 with a 5.50 ERA in four career starts against St. Louis.

Cardinals hold off Pirates in slugfest

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- It's unknown whether Matt Carpenter was the only player who felt completely secure about St. Louis' ability to hold on Friday night, but he had enough confidence for everyone else.

"Never a doubt. Never a doubt," Carpenter, who drove in three runs, said after the Cardinals nearly blew an eight-run lead in their 11-10 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

"It was interesting, for sure, but I knew we'd find a way to finish it off."

Carpenter, Tommy Pham and Paul DeJong hit home runs, three of St. Louis' 13 hits, as the Cardinals built an 11-3 lead, only to watch the Pirates come back and have a shot at winning in the ninth.

DeJong was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs as St. Louis (63-59) won its second in a row and 10th in the past 12 to remain 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

Pittsburgh (58-64) lost its sixth straight and fell five games behind the Cardinals and 6 1/2 behind Chicago, but the Pirates still felt good about their game after scoring 10 runs, including three homers, and climbing out of the early hole.

"We were able to get some positive offensive traction in our direction," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "It was fun to watch. Come up a run short at the end of the night. That's never the goal. The goal is to go out and leave everything on the field. They left everything on the field."

For the second night in a row in the divisional series, runners and runs abounded.

St. Louis scored in each of the first four innings for an 8-2 lead.

The Cardinals tacked on two more in the sixth and another in the eighth -- on Jose Martinez's two-out RBI single for the eventual winning run -- before Pittsburgh's Max Moroff hit the sixth homer of the game, a two-run, 420-foot shot in the eighth that cleared the stands in right and bounced into the Allegheny River.

"It hit the river? Bounced in? Didn't hit in the air?" Moroff deadpanned. "I hit that really well. Next time, I'll try and hit the river in the air."

Josh Bell and Elias Diaz each added an RBI double later in the eighth to make it 11-8.

The Pirates added two in the ninth on Bell's bases-loaded walk and David Freese's sacrifice fly before Seung Hwan Oh struck out Diaz with the bases loaded to end it. Oh picked up his 19th save.

"Any win we get is big," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "We're in the corner right there and we have to have somebody come in and make some big pitches for us. Oh did a nice job of that.

"Sometimes you have to figure out a way to scratch and claw your way to the end."

Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (10-9) pitched seven innings and got stronger as he went. He allowed two early runs on homers but settled in to give up three runs on six hits, with four strikeouts and two walks.

"I started to get better toward the end, and deeper in the game I'm really trusting in my fastball," Carlos Martinez said through a translator. "It's just really helping me get this deep in the game."

The Pirates' comeback came against five relievers.

Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams (5-6) had gone at least six innings in four of previous five games but lasted just two batters into the fourth, giving up eight runs and seven hits -- three of them homers -- with three strikeouts and two walks.

"I thought the command was there; I just wasn't getting the (call on) the low pitch," Williams said. "I had all four pitches working in the (strike) zone. It's just unfortunate the low ball was taken away from me early.

"I'm a sinker-ball pitcher. I need that pitch called to get swings below the zone."

Pham's 16th homer -- a one-out shot to right after Carpenter struck out in the first inning -- gave him homers in consecutive at-bats and St. Louis a 1-0 lead. Pham led off the ninth Thursday with a homer.

The Pirates' start mirrored that of the Cardinals. Starling Marte struck out and Josh Harrison followed with a homer to right for a 1-1 tie. It was Harrison's 14th homer, setting a career high and, as with Pham, gave him blasts in consecutive games.

The Cardinals added some distance in the second on Greg Garcia's RBI single and Carpenter's 16th homer, a two-out, three-run shot to right-center field. That gave St. Louis a 5-1 lead and five runs with four hits.

"Pham's homer didn't sound great. The one that I knew was hit was Carpenter's," Williams said. "It was a sinker I just left up."

David Freese led off the bottom of the second with his ninth homer to pull Pittsburgh within 5-2.

DeJong took his turn, hitting the fifth homer of the game to lead off the third. His shot to center, his 19th homer, gave the Cardinals a 6-2 lead.

When St. Louis put runners at the corners with no outs in the fourth and Carlos Martinez up, the Pirates pulled Williams for Steven Brault. Martinez drove in a run with a sacrifice fielder's choice, and Pham drove in another on a groundout to make it 8-2.

Marte's two-out RBI triple in the fifth drew the Pirates to 8-3.

"That was a cool game," Moroff said. "Unfortunately, we lost, but it is what it is."

NOTES: St. Louis RHP Adam Wainwright was placed on the 10-day DL because of right elbow impingement. ... St. Louis RHP Mike Mayers was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. ... St. Louis 2B Kolten Wong was a late lineup scratch because of a hip problem. ... Pittsburgh LHP Wade LeBlanc was placed on the 10-day DL because of a left quadriceps strain. ... Pittsburgh LHP Steven Brault was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... For the second night in a row, a Pirates pitcher (Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams) bunted into a double play.

Cardinals, Pirates look to keep pressure on Cubs

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(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Two teams scrambling to make headway in the National League Central will clash when the St. Louis Cardinals open a four-game set Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Neither is coming in hot, unless it's maybe hot under the collar.

St. Louis (61-59) blew a two-run lead in the ninth -- an inning that included Cardinals manager Mike Matheny getting ejected -- on Wednesday night and fell 5-4 to the Boston Red Sox. The Cardinals took their third loss in a row.

Pittsburgh (58-62) blew a 4-0 lead and allowed five homers Wednesday in a 7-6 loss at Milwaukee, the Pirates' fourth straight setback.

The Cardinals are 5-4 against the Pirates this season.

The first three games of the series will be held at PNC Park, followed by the first MLB Little League Classic on Sunday night in Williamsport, Pa.

St. Louis won eight straight, at one point pulling into a first-place tie in the division, before the current losing streak.

Going into the series at Pittsburgh, the third-place Cardinals are three games ahead of the fourth-place Pirates and 2 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs. The Milwaukee Brewers are tucked in the mix in second place, a game in front of St. Louis.

The Pirates have rallied several times this season but keep falling into the cusp of being realistically out of the hunt for a playoff spot.

It helps that they are in a weak division, and the series against St. Louis represents yet another chance to stay in contention.

Losing Wednesday hurt in more than one way. It not only extended Pittsburgh's losing streak and came against a division opponent ahead in the standings, but it led to a downcast postgame clubhouse.

"We wanted to win this one bad," starting and losing pitcher Gerrit Cole said.

At 21-23 within the division, the Pirates need wins in the series just as badly. Of course, St. Louis needs the victories, too.

St. Louis veteran Adam Wainwright (12-5, 4.87 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener Thursday.

Wainwright has dealt with some elbow soreness and skipped his between-starts bullpen session but is expected to take his normal turn in the rotation after he played catch Tuesday with no problem.

On Friday, the soreness kept Wainwright from throwing a pitch 90 mph or more, and he didn't have a strikeout, but it didn't stop him from posting his fifth win in as many decisions. He gave up one run on four hits in five innings during an 8-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Wainwright, who is four strikeouts from reaching 100 for the eighth time in his career, likened the pain to what he felt in 2014.

"A little inflamed area in my joint," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "In '14, it was a couple of weeks, and I had it one time earlier this year, and it was gone after one start."

Wainwright is 13-7 with a 4.11 ERA in 34 career games (29 starts) against the Pirates, including 6-4 with a 5.23 ERA in 16 games (13 starts) at PNC Park.

For Pittsburgh, Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.50) will be looking for his third straight quality start Thursday after he allowed a total of 17 earned runs in two starts.

On Friday, Taillon allowed two runs in six-plus innings and struck out seven in a 4-2 win at Toronto. He will be looking to get above .500 at home, where he is 3-3 in nine starts.

Taillon is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals.

Broxton, Pina power Brewers past Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- MILWAUKEE -- An ageless philosophical baseball debate played out on Wednesday afternoon as small ball took on power.

In the end, power prevailed as the Milwaukee Brewers slugged five home runs in a 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, extending their winning streak to four games and keeping the pressure on Chicago in the NL Central.

"It's certainly fun when you hit home runs," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It was a fun game today. We kept coming back. We took advantage of three mistakes and drove them out of the park."

Keon Broxton hit two homers, giving him three in the last two games, while Neil Walker and Travis Shaw also went deep. But it was Manny Pina's two-run blast in the eighth inning that did the most damage, wiping out a late deficit.

"That's our team, and it started in the first half," Pina said of Milwaukee's current streak. "Swinging the bat, hitting homers, bringing in a lot of runs. Now we are almost in the same spot, pitchers and hitters together. That's why we're winning."

Gerrit Cole had only allowed three runs total in three starts against Milwaukee this season but topped that through six innings Wednesday. He allowed four on five hits, including three homers, while striking out nine.

"They are a dangerous club," Cole said. "They have led the division for three quarters of the year and they are right there still in the hunt. They are historically an offensive team since I've been here. Sometimes you get clipped and you just have to keep making pitches."

The Pirates chipped away at Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, collecting eight hits off the right-hander. Nelson allowed five runs, but only three earned thanks to a pair of errors and struck out seven over 6 1/3 innings.

Nelson's own defensive miscue put him behind early. Starling Marte reached on a leadoff single and Nelson botched the pickoff attempt, sending Marte to third.

Josh Bell sent him home with a two-out single and came through again in the third as Pittsburgh made it a 4-0 game with three straight run-scoring singles.

"You have to stick to your plan and not make the at-bat bigger than it is," said Bell, who finished with three hits on the day.

Broxton put the Brewers on the board with a home run to lead off the bottom of the inning. Walker cut the deficit to a run later in the frame with a two-run shot, his first as a Brewer.

Nelson had retired 11 in a row when Chris Stewart singled with one out in the seventh. Jesus Aguilar botched the throw on a John Jaso grounder, putting two on for Marte.

Marte bounced into a force that got Stewart at third but Josh Harrison followed with a single to left that scored Jaso, giving Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead.

Broxton came through again, leading off the bottom of the seventh with his second homer of the game. Bell opened the eighth with a triple off Anthony Swarzak (5-3) and scored two batters later on Adam Frazier's single, putting the Pirates back in front.

The Brewers weren't quite done, though. Aguilar hustled for a one-out infield single and Juan Nicasio (1-5) hung a 2-1 slider to Pina, who belted it to right for his ninth of the season.

Corey Knebel worked a scoreless ninth for his 24th save.

"We just kept coming and they kept coming back," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We got on top of them twice after they tied it up. We put the three-spot up. They answered with three. Then they tied it up and we kept exchanging punches. It is one of those game you can see here at Miller Park now and then."

Milwaukee closed to within a game of the NL Central-leading Cubs, who were hosting Cincinnati later Wednesday evening.

NOTES: The Brewers were without SS Orlando Arcia (back spasms) and LF Ryan Braun (day off) but had RHP Anthony Swarzak available out of the bullpen after he missed four games with neck stiffness. ... Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said C Francisco Cervelli was "improving" but sat out again Tuesday as he recovers from a sore left wrist. ... Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell flipped his starters for his team's weekend series at Colorado. RHP Matt Garza will now start Friday and Brandon Woodruff will go Saturday.

Brewers host Pirates, seek fourth straight victory

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(TSX / STATS) -- MILWAUKEE -- It is only a three-game winning streak, but the Milwaukee Brewers feel as if they are back on track in what has suddenly become a scramble atop the National League Central.

The Brewers' surge -- paired with losses by the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night -- moved Milwaukee into a tie with the Cardinals for second place, 1 1/2 games behind the division-leading Cubs.

After watching their own 5 1/2-game lead over the rest of their rivals disappear thanks to a 7-18 swoon, the Brewers (62-59) suddenly have momentum as they go into the finale of a two-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon at Miller Park.

The Brewers took the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday.

"Our pitching's been really good now for three weeks outside of maybe two or three games," Milwaukee third baseman Travis Shaw said. "Offensively, we just weren't holding up our end of the deal. We had a good series against Cincinnati, Zach (Davies) pitched great again (Tuesday night), and we scored enough runs to win."

Milwaukee's offense got a boost from the addition of Neil Walker, who has three hits in his first two games since coming over from the New York Mets. He also has been impressive in the field and is likely to see a majority of the action at second base down the stretch.

"He (has) played really well," manager Craig Counsell said. "He knows what he's doing."

Jimmy Nelson (9-6, 3.72 ERA) gets the ball for Milwaukee, looking to bounce back after a rough outing last week against the Cincinnati Reds when he was tagged for 10 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

"When it rains, it pours," Nelson said after that outing. "That was pretty tough. Can't do anything about it now. Just get back to work."

Prior to that, though, Nelson has been every bit an ace for the Brewers, going 8-3 with a 2.96 ERA over a 16-start stretch. He has struggled against the Pirates in 2017, though, going 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA with seven strikeouts in eight innings over two starts.

Overall, Nelson is 5-4 with a 3.64 ERA in 12 career starts against Pittsburgh,

The Pirates will send right-hander Gerrit Cole to the mound, and he will try to continue his success against Milwaukee this year: 1-0 with 1.29 ERA in three starts. He is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 10 starts vs. the Brewers in his career. Cole is 1-2 with a 4.37 ERA in four career starts at Miller Park.

Cole has been red hot over the past six weeks, going 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA in five starts since the beginning of July.

"I guess it's been pretty good," Cole said of his recent success. "There's still room for improvement. (I'm) still getting nicked here and there. I'll try to get better for the next one."

The Pirates (58-61) have lost three in a row to fall 4 1/2 games behind the Cubs, but they could get a boost with the return of Francisco Cervelli. The catcher missed Pittsburgh's past three games with a sore left wrist but won't need a trip to the disabled list, according to manager Clint Hurdle.

"This is an injury he will need to play through," Hurdle said. "(The time off was) an opportunity for us to calm it down a little bit."

Cervelli is batting .500 in six games against Milwaukee this season but is 3-for-14 (.214) in his career against Nelson.

Broxton, Davies lift Brewers past Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- MILWAUKEE -- Keon Broxton blasted a pinch-hit home run, and Zach Davies bounced back from a rough outing his last time out to work into the seventh as the Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to three games with a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday at Miller Park.

Davies (14-6) held the Pirates to one run, scattering six hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out two. Last Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, Davies gave up six runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Ivan Nova (10-10) went six innings and was charged with two runs (one earned), four hits and three walks while striking out four.

Travis Shaw, who began the day 10-for-13 against Nova, reached three times against him Tuesday and put the Brewers on the board when he singled and scored in the second inning.

Davies cruised through the first five innings but walked Andrew McCutchen to open the sixth. Josh Bell followed by hitting into a force at second, and after David Freese flied out, Adam Frazier tripled, tying the game at 1.

Milwaukee responded quickly, taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Manny Pina. Broxton provided a cushion in the seventh when he worked a full count against A.J. Schugel before going opposite field for his 17th home run of the season.

Starling Marte's second hit of the night chased Davies with two outs in the seventh. Jared Hughes retired Josh Harrison to get out of the inning. Jacob Barnes worked a perfect eighth, and Corey Knebel locked down his 23rd save with a scoreless ninth.

NOTES: The Pirates placed OF Gregory Polanco (strained left hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled C Elias Diaz from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... 3B Travis Shaw returned to the Brewers' lineup and went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs. He sat out Sunday after fouling pitches off his knee and foot in an at-bat the night before. ... C Stephen Vogt (left knee sprain) is expected to join the Brewers in Denver, manager Craig Counsell said. ... Jonathan Villar made his first career start in center field Tuesday as Counsell tried to stack his lineup with left-handed bats against Pirates RHP Ivan Nova. ... Andrew McCutchen returned to center field for Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He served as the team's designated hitter Sunday at Toronto in order to rest his left knee. ... SS Orlando Arcia was a late scratch from Milwaukee's lineup because of back spasms.

Donaldson's blast helps Blue Jays rout Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- TORONTO -- As far as John Gibbons is concerned, the Toronto Blue Jays' 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon was just another step in the long climb to reach the .500 mark and make a possible, though improbable, late run at a postseason spot.

What he did not realize is that it also was the 700th win as the Blue Jays' manager.

"It was, huh?" he said.

Josh Donaldson keyed a five-run first inning with a two-run homer and left-hander J.A. Happ struck out eight in six innings in the rubber match of the three-game interleague series.

The Blue Jays have won their past two series, including one against the New York Yankees to open the homestand.

As far as what his team must do the rest of the dwindling schedule to contend for a playoff spot, Gibbons he said. "I mean, I don't know, you don't know, nobody knows, just go out there and run this thing out and see where we end up. ... we're playing good baseball."

Darwin Barney and Justin Smoak added solo shots for the Blue Jays and Ryan Goins had a two-run double.

Happ (6-8) allowed four hits, three walks and one run while winning his third straight start.

"Usually in most games we try to go with what works, and the offspeed was working for me today so we tried to capitalize on that," Happ said.

Pittsburgh's Chad Kuhl (5-8) allowed four hits, five walks and five runs (four earned) in six innings.

"Three pitches got in the hot zone of their hitters," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "They didn't miss the balls that were left out over the plate and (Kuhl) didn't throw enough strikes. The combination of the two put us in a hole."

The Pirates (58-60) scored once in the first inning on singles by Josh Harrison, Andrew McCutchen and David Freese.

The Blue Jays (56-61) scored five runs in the bottom of the first.

"I couldn't get a rhythm there in the first," Kuhl said. "You try your best to find that rhythm and it just took a little longer today. They were on it from pitch one. They were ready from the get-go."

Jose Bautista led off with a walk and Donaldson hit his 16th homer of the season. Smoak doubled, Ezequiel Carrera walked and both scored on the double by Goins.

An error by third baseman Freese on Kevin Pillar's grounder put runners at the corners. Pillar stole second and Goins stole home to increase the lead to 5-1.

Happ walked two batters with two outs in the sixth inning before striking out Jordy Mercer to end the inning.

"Happ was really good, I thought he was a little bit off early in the game but he found that groove and he was sticking it much better," Gibbons said. "He's been on a nice roll since he came back from the elbow issues."

Happ admitted there was some enjoyment to beating a team that he pitched well for in the second half of 2015.

"Yeah, a little bit," he said. "I have nothing but great memories there, I like that group but it feels good, for sure."

"I think he was able to pitch to a liberal strike zone," Hurdle said. "We were challenged at times. I'd come back up and look and think 'Man, that's hard to cover that much territory at the plate.' He was able to maintain those areas, stay in those areas. We couldn't get that ball in the gap when we needed it."

Wade LeBlanc replaced Kuhl in the bottom of the sixth and allowed Barney's third homer of the season with two outs.

Danny Barnes pitched a perfect top of the seventh.

Smoak hit his 32nd homer of the season in the bottom of the seventh.

Toronto's Leonel Campos allowed two one-out walks in the eighth before Ryan Tepera retired the final two batters of the inning on a strikeout and a popout to first.

J.P. Howell pitched a perfect ninth.

NOTES: Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen (sore left knee) returned to the lineup Sunday as a DH after missing the game Saturday. ... Pirates OF Gregory Polanco (left hamstring) was not in the lineup Sunday after leaving the game Saturday with the injury. ... Toronto RHP Dominic Leone was put on the bereavement list, and LHP Matt Dermody was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. ... Pirates manager Clint Hurdle returned to the team after missing Friday and Saturday to attend the funeral of Don Baylor. Bench coach Tom Prince managed the first two games of the series. ... Pittsburgh RHP Ivan Nova (10-9, 3.87 ERA) will start the opener of a two-game set in Milwaukee on Tuesday against Brewers RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.50 ERA). ... Toronto RHP Nick Tepesch (0-2, 9.00) will start against Tampa Bay RHP Jake Odorizzi (6-5, 4.38 ERA) in the opener or a four-game series in Toronto.

Rowley wins MLB debut as Blue Jays beat Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- TORONTO -- Chris Rowley has made the unusual transition from West Point graduate to a major league pitcher and he gave the Toronto Blue Jays all they could have wanted Saturday afternoon in winning his debut.

The 26-year-old, who signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays in 2013 after he was not drafted before embarking on his U.S. Army commitment, allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in a 7-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Awesome really," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We've been looking for that. First off, I thought he looked very confident out there. He had good life to his fastball, good sink to his fastball, threw some good breaking balls, he's athletic. A debut is never easy, but he did a tremendous job."

Rowley befuddled the Pittsburgh hitters.

"He kept people off balance, he moved the ball around the zone," said Pirates bench coach Tom Prince, who ran the team while manager Clint Hurdle attended the funeral of former star player and manager Don Baylor.

Rob Refsnyder had three hits for the Blue Jays, who gained a split of the first two games of the three-game interleague series.

Jordy Mercer hit his 11th home run for Pittsburgh in the ninth inning off Leonel Campos.

Rowley (1-0) allowed five hits and one walk while striking out three before leaving to a standing ovation.

"That was really, really cool," said Rowley, who had his family in the crowd. "Walking off and all those people standing, that was something really special for me. I don't think anybody really expects to experience that in their life."

Pirates starter Trevor Williams (5-5) allowed four hits, four walks and four runs (three earned) in six innings. The right-hander struck out seven and both batters he hit with pitches scored.

"We weren't going to give in to certain guys," Williams said. "They're a team that can really hurt you with the long ball. I shot myself in the foot a few times. I didn't necessarily make it super easy on myself."

Toronto scored once in the first after Jose Bautista walked, took third on a single by Justin Smoak and scored when Steve Pearce hit a fielder's choice grounder to second.

The Pirates (58-59) tied it in the second on a leadoff triple by Josh Bell and an RBI single by Mercer.

The Blue Jays (55-61) regained the lead in the bottom of the second. Kevin Pillar was hit by a pitch to lead off, Refsnyder singled and Bautista and Josh Donaldson walked to force in a run.

Toronto scored two runs (one unearned) in the fifth, keyed by an error by second baseman Adam Frazier.

Bautista was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Donaldson blooped a single to right and, with one out, Pearce walked. Pinch hitter Kendrys Morales grounded to shortstop and Pearce was forced at second as one run scored. Frazier made an errant throw to first and the second run scored.

Rowley was removed with one out in the sixth inning after allowing a single and a walk.

"I felt pretty calm," Rowley said. "I felt pretty nervous last night in anticipation but once I threw the ball I felt calm for the most part. When I came off I got pretty emotional. You've got 45,000 people on their feet. It's the first time I've seen that in person and my family was out there."

Dominic Leone replaced Rowley and finished the inning with a strikeout and a groundout to the catcher.

Leone pitched around a single in the seventh, finishing the inning with two strikeouts.

The Blue Jays scored three runs (one earned) in the bottom of the seventh against Joaquin Benoit.

Smoak and Pearce singled. Both scored on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Harrison, who barehanded a soft grounder by Mike Ohlman and threw wildly to first.

Ohlman, who was given credit for an infield single, continued to third on the error and scored on Pillar's sacrifice fly.

Toronto's Aaron Loup allowed a walk and a single in two-thirds of an inning in the top of the eighth that Ryan Tepera finished with a strikeout.

Pittsburgh's A.J. Schugel allowed only a single in the bottom of the eighth.

NOTES: Pittsburgh RF Gregory Polanco left the game during the fifth inning, limping off the field after charging a bloop single. "Something grabbed him and that was it," Pirates bench coach Tom Prince said. "That's why we took him out of the game." ... Toronto C Russell Martin (strained left oblique) went on the 10-day disabled list Saturday and C Mike Ohlman was selected from Triple-A Buffalo. ... Toronto RHP Chris Rowley was selected from Triple-A Buffalo to make the start Saturday, while RHP Chris Smith and INF/OF Chris Coghlan were designated for assignment. ... Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen (left patellofemoral discomfort) was not in the lineup Saturday after leaving the game Friday in the third inning. OF Starling Marte started in center field. ... Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson was used as designated hitter and Darwin Barney played third base on Saturday. ... Pittsburgh RHP Chad Kuhl (5-7, 4.53 ERA) will oppose Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (5-8, 3.77) Sunday in the series finale.

Bell, Cole help Pirates beat Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Josh Bell never showed much power in the minor leagues. So when Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle moved Bell to the cleanup spot this season, more than a few eyebrows were raised.

Bell has been doing all the lifting since that time, as home runs have been flying out of the ballpark. Bell smacked his 20th homer of the season on Thursday afternoon in the Pirates' 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

"It's definitely cool," the 24-year-old first baseman said. "It's not something I would have expected out of myself a couple of years ago. It's cool getting there (to 20 homers) and hopefully, I can continue to progress forward."

Bell hit a combined 16 home runs in 249 minor-league games during 2014 and 2015. He started to display more of a power stroke last season, with 14 homers at the Triple-A level along with three long balls in 45 major-league games.

"When we talked about having a vacuum there in the cleanup spot and our options, we penciled him in 36 or 37 games ago. This is a guy technically by definition who is still in his rookie season hitting cleanup and he's doing a good job," Hurdle said. "I just like the fact that two years ago we're having conversations about his power. Where was it? And at this level, he's continued to mature and get better."

Bell drove in three runs in support of Gerrit Cole, who won his seventh consecutive road start in his longest outing of the season.

Cole (10-8) limited the Tigers to three runs on six hits over eight innings. He struck out seven and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Cole's outing was his longest since he threw a complete game against Seattle on July 27 of last year.

"He stayed with his program, stayed with his game plan, even though they scratched some runs off him early," Hurdle said. "He threw 39 pitches in his last four innings and closed out extremely strong."

Sean Rodriguez also homered and knocked in two runs, while Adam Frazier supplied three hits, a run scored and two RBIs. Pirates leadoff hitter Starling Marte added two hits and scored twice for Pittsburgh (57-58), which has won six of its last eight.

The Tigers rallied for two ninth-inning runs before Felipe Rivero retired the last two batters to notch his 11th save.

Nicholas Castellanos drove in two runs with his American League-leading ninth triple for the Tigers (52-62), who have lost five of six. Mikie Mahtook homered and scored twice.

Detroit's Drew VerHagen (0-2) gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings in his second major-league start this season.

"Across the board, I was a little bit erratic," VerHagen said. "My breaking balls, the break was all right on them, I just wasn't throwing them for strikes. You could see in their swings and their body language they were comfortable in the box. I didn't do a good job of commanding my pitches and making them uncomfortable."

The Pirates struck first in the opening inning when Frazier tripled and scored on Bell's sacrifice fly.

Detroit answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Mahtook and Miguel Cabrera reached on singles before Castellanos provided a two-out, bloop triple that landed just inside fair territory along the right-field line.

Pittsburgh tied it in the second on Gregory Polanco's leadoff double and Rodriguez's RBI single.

Bell made it 4-2 with his 20th homer. His two-out, two-run bullet over the right-field wall came on the first pitch from VerHagen.

"I threw a fastball and tried to get it in," VerHagen said. "It was a two-seam that just ran back over the plate and he jumped on it."

Mahtook's third-inning homer, which landed in the visitors' bullpen, cut the Pirates' lead to one.

Frazier ended VerHagen's day with his two-out, two-run double to left-center in the fourth.

Rodriguez greeted reliever Edward Mujica with a leadoff homer in the eighth for a 7-3 Pirates lead.

NOTES: Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen served as the designated hitter. He is the fifth different player to DH in seven interleague road games this season. ... Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer, who is on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow injury, will throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday. "We're not slotting him in at this point but there's a possibility he could start in Texas," manager Brad Ausmus said. The Tigers play the Rangers Monday through Wednesday. ... The Pirates have now won their last 17 games when scoring at least four runs. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez had gone hitless in his previous 21 at-bats prior to his fourth-inning single.

Cole powers Pirates for series finale vs. Tigers

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(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Gerrit Cole found his groove two months ago. That has kept the Pittsburgh Pirates on the fringes of the playoff race.

The Pirates have won eight of the last 10 games started by their 26-year-old right-hander. Cole has endured only one poor outing during that stretch, going six or seven innings in the nine other outings while not allowing more than three runs.

Cole will start the finale of a four-game, home-and-home series against Detroit on Thursday afternoon. He gave up 23 earned runs in his four starts before the 10-outing stretch in which he has gone 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA.

It was a learning experience for the younger members of the staff.

"He had a rough spell this year and the young men got to watch him work through it, how he continued to prepare, how he continued to show up, how he continued to not let it leak into other areas," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

"That's the kind of behavior you want to see out of a guy with experience and a high skill-set. Now he's back in a good part of his craft, which is really fun to watch."

Cole (9-8) has lowered his season ERA to 4.00. He's 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA in three starts against the Tigers.

He'll be making his 24th start this season, three more than he had during his injury-marred 2016 campaign.

"It's been nice to be healthy and contribute," Cole said. "That's our goal here, so it's been fortunate to be given this opportunity. I've just got to keep plugging away at it."

The Pirates have won five of their last seven games to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

"We came in hot after the break and then we had a little bit of a disappointing road trip," Cole said. "It was good to kind of get back on our feet here in the last week."

Having a healthy and productive Cole for the stretch run will be crucial for the Pirates to stay in the race.

"Our GM (Neal Huntington) says it best: We're a really good team when Cole and (center fielder Andrew) McCutchen are playing really good baseball," Hurdle said. "There's so much truth to it."

Cole will be opposed Thursday by Drew VerHagen (0-1, 5.00 ERA), who will be making his second start this season. VerHagen allowed two runs and four hits in five innings at Baltimore on Sunday and got a no-decision.

"I felt good about it," VerHagen said. "I felt like I was pounding the zone with all my pitches and gave the team a chance to win."

VerHagen has been used mainly in long relief when he has pitched for the Tigers in the past four seasons, but he was starting regularly at the Triple-A level most of this season. He's filling in for injured Michael Fulmer (right elbow ulnar neuritis), who could return as early as next week.

VerHagen embraces the chance to start at Comerica Park.

"I'm really excited about it," he said. "I've been starting this whole year in Toledo, so I'm just kind of sticking to that same routine and trying to keep the same approach. As far as getting the opportunity to put this uniform on and start, it means a lot to me."

Tigers ace Justin Verlander has given him tips on how to throw his slider and make it look different than his curve.

"I like getting to use all my pitches," said VerHagen, who is 0-0 with an 11.57 ERA in three relief outings against Pittsburgh. "I just added a new slider, so that's kind of a work in progress, and my changeup is something that's been a process as well."

Verlander gem results in Tigers' 10-0 win over Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Justin Verlander often flirted with no-hitters and tossed complete games earlier in his career. He nearly did both in his longest start of the season Wednesday night.

Verlander won his third consecutive start after having his no-hit bid broken up with two outs in the sixth inning and the Detroit Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak by thumping the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 at Comerica Park.

Josh Bell's double off the glove of third baseman Nick Castellanos was the lone hit off Verlander (8-7), whose eight-inning stint surpassed his previous season high by a full inning.

"Getting deep into ballgames, that's something that's kind of eluded me recently," said Verlander, who is 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA since July 8. "The last few starts it's gotten better and better."

Verlander, who tipped his cap to the crowd after his final inning, struck out four of the last five batters he faced. He walked three and struck out six.

The night could have been more special if Castellanos, who was playing well off the line, could have gathered in Bell's grounder.

"You can't help but notice it, especially after four or five innings," Verlander said. "But you just kind of remind yourself there's a long way to go. ... Nick almost made a great play. It was a hard-hit ball, a clean hit."

Verlander's outing provides even more evidence for contending teams that he could be a missing piece to a championship. A deal beyond the non-waiver deadline is more unlikely but not impossible.

"Early in the season, he had some command issues, he had some walks," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "That's calmed down a bit, but it's kind of like he did a couple years ago in the second half of the season. He's really shown that he's still got Justin Verlander stuff of old."

Castellanos led the Tigers' attack with three hits and matched a career high with five RBIs, including a bases-clearing triple in the seventh inning. Ian Kinsler supplied a solo homer and a three-run double while scoring four runs for Detroit (52-61).

Ivan Nova (10-9) gave up six runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Pirates (56-58), who had won five of their last six games.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said the team needed to forget about the lopsided loss quickly.

"That's the best approach for us," he said. "It was a game for a while and then it got away from us late."

Hurdle elected to leave Nova in the game during the seventh after he issued his first two walks of the game and hit Miguel Cabrera with a pitch. That backfired when Castellanos drilled a pitch into the right-center field gap to make it 6-0.

"He's still always got a ground ball in his pocket," Hurdle said. "When you look at him, that's what you think. So I may have asked him to do something that maybe he didn't have the weaponry to do at that particular point in time."

The Tigers used three singles to score a first-inning run. Kinsler led off with a base hit, advanced to second on another by Cabrera and scored on Castellanos' hit.

Detroit tacked on two runs in the second. John Hicks led off with a double to the right field corner and advanced to third when Gregory Polanco bobbled the ball. He scored on Andrew Romine's sacrifice fly.

Kinsler made it 3-0 with a solo shot over the left-field wall.

NOTES: Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer played catch from approximately 80 feet and could be close to returning from the 10-day disabled list. Fulmer, who is recovering from right elbow ulnar neuritis, will throw a bullpen session Friday if there are no setbacks. Manager Brad Ausmus said Fulmer would likely return to the rotation next week after missing only two starts. ... The Tigers optioned 3B Jeimer Candelario to Triple-A Toledo to make room for SS Jose Iglesias, who was activated off the bereavement list. .. Detroit LF Justin Upton, who leads the team in home runs and RBIs, got the night off. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte had multi-hit games in his last four starts at Comerica Park. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli went 0-for-3. He had reached base in his previous 10 career games at Comerica with at least one plate appearances.

Williams, Pirates one-hit Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Trevor Williams couldn't win one of Pittsburgh's open spots in the rotation coming out of spring, and when he got the opportunity to be a starter in May, things didn't flow right away.

They flowed pretty well Monday night.

Williams pitched one-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, and John Jaso smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0 at PNC Park.

"Experience is the biggest confidence builder," Williams said. "If I'm getting the ball every fifth day, it's giving me confidence. When I see I can get guys without my greatest stuff, it gives me confidence that I can go to it when I don't have it that day."

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.

"Can't win if you don't score," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said.

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 perfect through two innings and pitched to one batter over the minimum through six.

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.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said Williams was building toward an outing like this, even if the right-hander wasn't perfect.

"He's had a number of performances where he hasn't had a run, low number of hits going into the sixth, seventh, eighth innings," Hurdle said. "To be able to finish it off, some of the indicator numbers weren't where you'd think they might have to be have this kind of outing. It was just old-fashioned pitching tonight. Old-fashioned really good pitching today.

"Extremely solid, solid, aggressive ballgame."

It was one that left Williams feeling pretty good about his overall game.

"I think I'm pitching more like myself," Williams said. "At the beginning of the year, I was getting away of who I was as a pitcher. When I was a reliever I was trying to throw it 95 (mph) every pitch. That's not the pitcher that got me to the major leagues.

"I got punched in the face early in the year starting like that. Had to take a step back. Maybe it's fastball location, it's changing speeds, going up and down. Luckily, we found that and recognized that. We've continued to build on it since May."

Jaso, batting for Williams, hit his eighth homer, third as a pinch hitter, in the seventh inning, giving Pittsburgh a cushion. The Pirates were 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' performance. 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.

"It's unfortunate because (Zimmermann) pitched outstanding," Ausmus said. "He gave up a two-run homer to Jaso, but, really, he was holding them off. He couldn't hold them off forever."

With one out in the second, Gregory Polanco was hit by a pitch. Cervelli drove in Polanco with a full-count, two-out double to the right-center gap for a 1-0 lead.

"I was going after him no matter what," Zimmermann said of Cervelli, the No. 8 hitter. "I always want the pitcher leading off the next inning. Sometimes it burns you. If I get him out, I've got the pitcher leading off the next inning."

In the seventh, Cervelli walked with two outs and scored on Jaso's homer to right to make it 3-0.

"I made the pitches when I needed to, except for that last one to Jaso," Zimmermann said. "I think I went to the well one too many times with the curveball and I left it (in the) middle. If I throw it away where the other ones were, it would probably be a different result."

The pitch fooled Jaso, but he was able to adjust.

"I was looking for a heater," he said. "(The curveball) just happened to be up at my eyes.

"Just basically at the end hung that. It was either ball four or I'm hitting it somewhere. I know he wasn't trying to throw it for a strike probably ... but we're all human. We make mistakes. I don't mind that."

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.