Newman delivers as Pirates push past A’s

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Kevin Newman hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied past the Oakland Athletics 6-4 on Saturday night.

Newman, in his at first-bat in nearly a month thanks to a cut on his right middle finger, ripped a shot down the right-field line off J.B. Wendelken (0-1) to bring home Gregory Polanco and Bryan Reynolds with two outs in the seventh as the Pirates won for the third time in four games.

Francisco Cervelli followed with an RBI single to give Pittsburgh a boost on the same day it lost ace Jameson Taillon for at least a month with a strained right (throwing) elbow.

Josh Bell homered twice for Pittsburgh, taking Oakland starter Chris Bassitt deep in both the second and third innings for the first two-home run game of the first baseman’s career. Bell already has eight homers on the season. He didn’t reach eight in 2018 until mid-August. Reynolds finished with two hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, tying Polanco for the longest streak by a Pittsburgh player to start their career since 1901.

Michael Feliz (1-0) picked up the win in relief after coming on in the seventh when Keone Kela exited with discomfort in his right shoulder after giving up a leadoff double to Oakland rookie Skye Bolt. Felipe Vazquez worked around a two-out single by Marcus Semien to collect his ninth save.

Kris Davis, Kendry Morales and Matt Chapman all had two hits apiece for the Athletics.

The A’s jumped on Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams early. Davis and Stephen Piscotty sandwiched RBI singles around a run-scoring triple by Morales to give Oakland a quick 3-0 advantage in the first.

Williams settled down after the bumpy first to give his teammates a chance to get back in it. Bassitt left after five, giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Williams gave up four runs and eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts in six innings.

UP NEXT

A’s: Wrap up a nine-game road trip Sunday when they send Frankie Montas (4-2, 2.97 ERA) to the hill. Montas allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Boston last Monday.

Pirates: Jordan Lyles (2-1, 2.42) lasted just four innings in his previous start, when he gave up two runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in a no-decision against Texas.