CLEVELAND (AP) — Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run single in the eighth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the AL Central leading Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Saturday night.
Luis Ortiz (6-4) pitched six innings of one-hit ball in his first win since July 20. The right-hander struck out five and walked three, helping Pittsburgh stop a four-game slide.
Jalen Beeks, Dennis Santana and Aroldis Chapman combined with Ortiz for a two-hitter. Chapman earned his fifth save of the season and tied Roberto Hernandez for 19th on the career list with 326.
The Guardians, who own the best home record in the AL at 42-25, had their division lead over Kansas City sliced to two games. Cleveland was shut out for the 14th time this season, matching the most in the majors.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, Tellez hit for Connor Joe and Eli Morgan replaced Tim Herrin on the mound. Tellez lined a 1-1 changeup from Morgan into right-center, driving in Bryan Reynolds and Nick Gonzales for a 3-0 lead.
Gonzales also doubled in the fourth and scored on Andrew McCutchen’s single just inside the foul line in right.
Bo Naylor singled in the fifth and Josh Naylor doubled in the seventh to account for Cleveland’s two hits.
The Guardians had two runners on with one out in the seventh. Lane Thomas drove a Santana pitch to left, where Reynolds made the catch at the wall and threw to second, doubling up Josh Naylor.
Guardians starter Matthew Boyd (1-1) struck out a season-high eight over six innings. The left-hander gave up four hits in his fourth start since undergoing Tommy John surgery.
McCutchen extended his hitting streak to 13 games — his longest in six years — and Oneil Cruz reached base for the 22nd consecutive contest with a pair of singles. Gonzales went 3 for 5.
Herrin was struck on the left triceps by a Cruz liner in the seventh, forcing him to exit after facing one batter.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: LHP Ryan Borucki (left triceps inflammation) has made five appearances for Triple-A Indianapolis on his current rehab assignment, posting a 1.80 ERA and eight strikeouts in five innings. Borucki has been on the injured list since April 7.
Guardians: DH Josh Naylor (left ankle bruise) batted cleanup, one night after being helped off the field following his RBI single in the eighth. Manager Stephen Vogt said Naylor “responded really well to treatment, but we have to be smart about it.”
UP NEXT
Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (11-8, 3.84 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Alex Cobb (1-1, 4.35 ERA) on Sunday in the three-game series finale. Trade deadline acquisition Cobb has been on the 15-day IL with a fractured fingernail on his pitching hand since Aug. 16.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Brian Dulik, The Associated Press