PITTSBURGH — Michael Pérez and Bryan Reynolds hit three-run home runs during the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Pérez homered to right off Bryan Shaw to put the Pirates ahead. Four batters later, Reynolds hit a 98-mph fastball from James Karinchak that sailed over the stands in right and bounced into the Allegheny River.
Down 2-0 entering the seventh, the Pirates (25-44) were aided by six walks, three each by Shaw and Karinchak. It is the most walks the Pirates have drawn in an inning since also coaxing six bases on balls in 1976 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Indians (38-30), who got two solo homers from Harold Ramirez and another from René Rivera. Cal Quantrill even aided a reeling starting rotation with five shutout innings before the bullpen collapsed down the stretch.
René Rivera did not play for Cleveland after suffering a bruised foot Friday night. Manager Terry Francona says the third baseman is day-to-day.
The Tribe has now loss two straight following a four-game winning streak, and also falls to four games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central. They'll try to salvage the series Sunday afternoon when rookie Sam Hentges (1-1, 7.57 ERA) starts against JT Brubaker (4-5, 3.88).
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