Pirates’ pitchers shut down Detroit last night as the Bucs won their third game in a row, beating the Tigers in the first game of a home-and-home series.
Trevor Williams combined with two relievers on a one-hitter as the Pirates shut out Detroit 3-0. Williams allowed just a leadoff single to James McCann in the third inning while walking two and striking out five over seven innings to move to 5-and-4. Francisco Cervelli doubled in a run in the second and John Jaso hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the seventh for Pittsburgh, which has won four-of-five.
The Pirates and Tigers meet again tonight at PNC Park, with Chad Kuhl on the mound for the Bucs against lefty Matthew Boyd. Kuhl is 4-and-7 with a 4.53 ERA, but he’s 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA over his past seven starts, and the last time out against the Reds last week, he went seven innings in a 6-0 shutout win. The Tigers will send out lefty Matthew Boyd, who is 5-and-5 with a 5.35 ERA.
The Pirates gained a game on Milwaukee, which lost to Minnesota, 5-4. The other two teams ahead of the Bucs in the NL Central, first-place Chicago and third place St. Louis, both won. The Cubs beat the Giants 5-3 while the Cards knocked off the Royals, 11-3. The Cubs lead the division, with the Brewers a game-and-a-half back, the Cardinals 4 out, and the Pirates 4-and-a-half.
