Joey Bart had two hits plus the walk-off fielder’s choice in the bottom of the ninth to lift the host Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon.
With the bases loaded and one out, Bart bounced a hard shot into the hole that Atlanta shortstop Nick Allen reached with a diving backhand. His hurried throw home was late and off-line, allowing Adam Frazier to score the winning run.
The Pirates won for the second time in three games since dismissing former manager Derek Shelton and promoting bench coach Don Kelly. It was their first series win since taking two of three at the Los Angeles Angels on April 22-24.
Frazier led off the ninth with a pinch-hit single off Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias (2-3). Ke’Bryan Hayes followed with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Bryan Reynolds grounded out and Andrew McCutchen was walked intentionally to load the bases, setting up Bart’s game-winner.
It was Bart’s second walk-off of the season and the Pirates’ third overall. Bart, who had two RBI, followed up a four-hit game on Saturday.
The Pirates prevailed despite letting a 3-0 lead slip away in the eighth inning when Sean Murphy roped a three-run double with two outs to the left-center gap off reliever Joey Wentz.
The Braves loaded the bases after the Pirates replaced reliever Ryan Borucki, who recorded the first two outs of the inning, with Tanner Rainey. Austin Riley singled, Matt Olson doubled and Rainey walked Marcell Ozuna before he was replaced by Wentz.
Dennis Santana (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for Pittsburgh to keep the game tied.
Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski pitched a career-high 5 2/3 innings and dueled with reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, who was unable to replicate the success of his previous two starts despite striking out eight. Sale allowed three runs (two earned), eight hits and two walks on 99 pitches over 5 2/3 innings. Mlodzinski allowed four hits, struck out two and walked one.
Drake Baldwin and Allen each had two hits to lead the Braves.
Pittsburgh’s Alexander Canario, who doubled and walked, started in center field as Oneil Cruz sat out with lower back tightness that knocked him out of Saturday’s game after 10 innings.
–Field Level Media
