PITTSBURGH (AP) — Henry Davis hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday after the slumping Phillies placed star first baseman Bryce Harper on the injured list before the game with right wrist inflammation.
Davis hit his fourth home run of the season and second in as many games to left-center off Ranger Suarez (4-1) on a first-pitch changeup to snap a 1-1 tie. The Pirates won for the third time in four games and can sweep the three-game series on Sunday.
The Phillies’ lone run came on Kyle Schwarber’s 20th homer with one out in the first inning off Andrew Heaney. Philadelphia has lost eight of its last nine games after winning 12 of 13.
Heaney allowed one run in six-plus innings before leaving with left calf cramping. Alec Bohm led off the seventh with a double, and Heaney exited after throwing a wild pitch. Rookie reliever Isaac Mattson (1-0) relieved with the score tied at 1-1, retired all the batters, and earned his first major-league win.
David Bednar pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
The Pirates scored in the bottom of the first when Nick Gonzales hit a leadoff triple and came home on Andrew McCutchen’s single.
Suarez worked seven innings, yielding two runs and five hits.
The move with Harper, a two-time National League MVP, is retroactive to Friday.
Infielder/outfielder Otto Kemp’s contract was purchased from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before the game, and he started at third base in his MLB debut, going 0 for 3.
Before the game, the Pirates placed catcher Endy Rodriguez (right elbow inflammation) on the 10-day IL, recalled Mattson from Triple-A Indianapolis, purchased the contract of catcher Brett Sullivan from Triple-A, and designated left-handed reliever Joey Wentz for assignment.
Key moment
With a runner on third and no outs in a 1-1 game, Mattson struck out Nick Castellanos, got J.T. Realmuto to fly out, and induced pinch-hitter Bryson Stott to ground out.
Key stat
Suarez has made six consecutive quality starts.
Up next
LHP Cristopher Sanchez (5-1, 3.15 ERA) starts for the Phillies on Sunday against RHP Paul Skenes (4-6, 2.05).
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