PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Bubba Chandler and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, and Nick Yorke and Bryan Reynolds hit home runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Athletics 2-0 on Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Chandler allowed only Jacob Wilson’s two-out double in the second inning while striking out six and walking none. He has in 11 innings in his last two starts since getting in 2 2/3 innings by Milwaukee on Sept. 7.
Braxton Ashcraft followed with three perfect innings and six strikeouts. Dennis Santana worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 14th save and first since Sept. 3.
Yorke, a rookie, belted his first home run of the season and third of his career with two outs in the second inning off Luis Morales (4-2). Reynolds hit a 416-foot drive to right-center, his 16th, to lead off the third.
Besides Wilson, the Athletics’ only other baserunner came in the third inning when Chandler hit Brett Harris with a pitch.
Morales pitched six innings and surrendered the two home runs among five hits. The rookie struck out four and walked two.
Yorke had two of the Pirates’ five hits.
The Pirates won for just the second time in 14 games. The Athletics lost for the second time in nine games.
Wilson was the only Athletics runner to reach second base, and he was stranded when JJ Bleday flied out to end the second inning.
The time of game was just one hour and 52 minutes.
Pirate RHP Mike Burrows (2-4, 4.10 ERA) is scheduled to start on Sunday against RHP Mitch Spence (3-5, 4.48) in the rubber game of the three-game series.
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