PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Bart’s fielder’s choice on a hard ground ball in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Sunday to win two in a three-game series.
Bart hit a sharp grounder with the infield drawn in that hit off shortstop Nick Allen’s glove and scored Adam Frazier. It was Bart’s second career walk-off RBI.
The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton before the series and replaced him with bench coach Don Kelly. Pittsburgh had lost seven games in a row and 10 of 11 before the change.
The Braves (19-21) failed to reach .500 for the first time this season after winning five of their previous seven games.
Pinch-hitter Sean Murphy pulled the Braves into a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning when he lined a three-run double to left-center with two out.
Dennis Santana (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win. The Pirates’ winning rally came against Raisel Iglesias (2-3).
Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the longest outing of his three-year career. He allowed four hits, struck out two and walked one.
Braves starter Chris Sale gave up three runs — two earned — in 5 2/3 innings.
Key moment
Back-to-back singles by pinch-hitter Frazier and Ke’Bryan Hayes put runners on first and third to start the ninth. Hayes advanced on Bryan Reynolds’ slow roller to second and Andrew McCutchen was intentionally walked, setting the stage for Bart.
Key stat
The Pirates have failed to score more than four runs in 17 consecutive games, breaking the franchise record set in 1908.
Up next
The Braves open a four-game series at Washington on Monday night with RHP Grant Holmes (2-3, 4.58) pitching against RHP Jake Irvin (2-1, 3.94) while the Pirates begin a three-game series in New York against the Mets with RHP Paul Skenes (3-4, 2.77) facing LHP David Peterson (2-2, 3.05).
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