Pirates win after l-o-n-g rain delay

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Bell drove a ball into the Allegheny River on a bounce for his fifth homer, Wade LeBlanc pitched three strong innings after a lengthy rain delay and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 on Friday night.

Bell’s solo shot off reliever Rob Scahill (0-1) landed on the concourse behind the wall in right-center field at PNC Park then splashed into the river. Bell also doubled.

Gregory Polanco added two hits and drove in a run for the Pirates, who won for just the second time in six games.

LeBlanc (2-0) came on after a 2-hour, 27-minute rain delay and allowed just two hits in three innings. The reliever also picked up his first RBI since 2011 with a single off Scahill in the fifth.

Nick Franklin had three of Milwaukee’s seven hits. Scahill struggled in relief of starter Jimmy Nelson.

The Pirates are on a brief three-game homestand in the middle of a stretch in which they play 14 of 17 games on the road looking for some momentum after dropping three of four in Cincinnati.

Chad Kuhl took his regular turn in the rotation despite leaving his previous start after taking a ball off the knee against Miami. He breezed through three innings, giving up two hits and striking out two before the rain came.

Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson was even better, holding Pittsburgh hitless in three innings.

Pittsburgh wasted little time getting to Scahill, making his 2017 debut for the Brewers. Bell led off the fourth with a double, and Polanco singled him home two batters later. Polanco scored on an error by Milwaukee first baseman Eric Thames. LeBlanc came on later in the inning with the bases loaded and dumped a single into left field to score Francisco Cervelli for the pitcher’s first hit since May 1, 2013 and first RBI since Aug. 30, 2011.

Bell’s long home run made it 4-0 in the fifth. Milwaukee’s only real threat came in the seventh when they loaded the bases off Juan Nicasio. Felipe Rivero shattered Jonathan Villar’s bat to get an inning-ending fielders’ choice.