This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Joc Pederson delivered a three-run home run in the seventh inning to help the Arizona Diamondbacks rally for a 6-5 win against the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
Ketel Marte also homered for the Diamondbacks, who trailed 4-0 entering the sixth inning. A.J. Puk escaped a ninth-inning jam to secure his second save this season.
Arizona took two of three games in the series and has won nine of its last 11 games.
Colin Holderman (3-4) took the loss after surrendering Pederson’s go-ahead home run. Yasmani Grandal had three hits for the Pirates, who have lost three of their last four games.
Pittsburgh starter Paul Skenes allowed two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out four.
Holderman took the mound in the seventh with a 4-2 lead before issuing a leadoff walk to Geraldo Perdomo and a one-out free pass to Corbin Carroll. After Marte struck out, Pederson belted a sinker 410 feet into the left field seats to put the visitors ahead 5-4.
The Diamondbacks went up 6-4 in the ninth on Marte’s 27th homer this season.
Marte’s blast proved pivotal in the bottom of the inning, when Ryan Thompson retired one of the four batters he faced and exited after Bryan Reynolds’ one-out RBI single pulled the Pirates within 6-5.
Puk entered with runners on the corners and struck out Oneil Cruz after an 11-pitch battle before retiring Bryan De La Cruz on a fly to right to end it.
Arizona reliever Paul Sewald (1-2) threw a scoreless sixth after coming in for starting pitcher Ryne Nelson.
Pittsburgh went up 1-0 in the first on De La Cruz’s RBI single before the Pirates capitalized on a shaky second inning from Nelson to surge ahead 4-0.
After Joey Bart was hit by a pitch to lead it off, Ji Hwan Bae drew a walk and scored on Grandal’s one-out double.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa then tripled to deep right, scoring Bae and Grandal to put the hosts ahead 4-0.
The Diamondbacks had three hits through the first five innings before they finally solved Skenes in the sixth.
Carroll tripled to lead off the inning and scored Arizona’s first run when Marte grounded out in the ensuing at-bat. Pederson followed with a single, and Josh Bell walked to end Skenes’ day.
Jake McCarthy greeted Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton with an RBI single to cut it to 4-2.
–Field Level Media
