CINCINNATI (AP) – Anthony DeSclafani pitched effectively into the eighth inning and the Reds took advantage of porous Pittsburgh defense to knock off the wild card-leading Pirates 3-1 in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
DeSclafani (8-10) didn’t allow a Pittsburgh baserunner past second base until the eighth. He didn’t walk a batter in 7 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits with six strikeouts.
The Pirates broke up the shutout in the eighth on Jaff Decker’s leadoff pinch-hit double and Neil Walker’s one-out single to right. Reliever Jumbo Diaz walked Andrew McCutchen before getting Jung Ho Kang to hit into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play.
Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 29th save and second in two days as the Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 12-13. Chapman hit Sean Rodriguez with a pitch but picked him off first base, a call that was confirmed after a replay review.