D-backs hit 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position, fall to Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Josh Harrison came off the bench to hit a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-3 on Thursday.

The pinch-hitter gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead.

The runs gave reliever A.J. Schugel (1-1) his first major league win after he had surrendered the lead inherited from starter Gerrit Cole in the top half of the inning. Schugel gave up a two-run single to Paul Goldschmidt in his only inning of work.

Arizona starter Patrick Corbin (2-4) took the loss. He was responsible for both runners that scored on Harrison’s double, which was hit off reliever Jake Barrett.

Cole hit a 409-foot, three-run homer in the third inning to left-center field.

The Pirates added three runs in the eighth inning. Andrew Chafin loaded the bases and gave way to Evan Marshall, who gave up a two-run double to Jung Ho Kang and an RBI double to Starling Marte.

Cole didn’t have his best stuff on the mound. He nearly hit Jean Segura with the first pitch of the game and gave up back-to-back doubles to Segura and Jason Bourn for Arizona’s 1-0 lead. He held the Diamondbacks to one unearned run over five innings, but needed to get out of jams in the first three innings while stranding eight Arizona runners.

In the third, Cole helped his own cause with the homer that also scored Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco. He settled in on the mound, throwing 1-2-3 frames in the fourth and fifth. He left after 106 pitches.

The Diamondbacks took advantage of Schugel, who gave up a two-out single to Corbin that started the rally and produced Goldschmidt’s two-run single.

Bourn, Corbin, Segura and Brandon Drury had two hits for the Diamondbacks. But the team stranded 26 runners and went just 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

Rob Scahill, Neftali Feliz and Mark Melancon pitched scoreless innings in the seventh, eighth and ninth for the Pirates. They swept the three-game series and finished the season series at 5-1.

TRAINING ROOM

Segura returned to the starting lineup and went 2 for 5 with two runs scored after a one-game absence. He was held out with concussion-like symptoms on Wednesday after being hit in the head by an Arquimedes Caminero fastball on Tuesday. Harrison didn’t start because of flu-like symptoms, but pinch hit.

SLUGGING PITCHERS

Pittsburgh’s Cole and Arizona’ Corbin combined to hit 4 for 5.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: Robbie Ray (2-13, 4.18 ERA) has thrown over 100 pitches in each of his last four starts, but has made it to the sixth inning just once in that span. He’ll try to reverse that trend when the Diamondbacks return home to face San Diego.

Pirates: Jonathon Niese (4-2, 4.75 ERA) will look to extend his streak of three consecutive quality starts. The Pirates will face the Texas in a three-game series as part of a six-game road trip that also takes them to Miami.