Field Level Media
May 20, 2018
The San Diego Padres rode a four-run ninth inning Sunday to their third straight win, 8-5 against the host Pittsburgh Pirates.
After the Pirates took a 5-4 lead in the eighth, the Padres went to work against Pittsburgh closer Felipe Vazquez (2-1).
Jose Pirela and Christian Villanueva opened with singles, with Franchy Cordero running for Villanueva. Pinch hitter Cory Spangenberg reached and Pirela scored for a 5-5 tie on shortstop Jordy Mercer's throwing error.
Freddy Galvis' bunt single brought home Cordero for the go-ahead run. After a double steal, A.J. Ellis hit a two-run single to make it 8-5.
Josh Harrison, fresh off the disabled list after missing 30 games because of a broken left hand, went 3 for 4 with an RBI for Pittsburgh. Austin Meadows, in his third major league game, was 3 for 4 with his first homer.
San Diego starter Jordan Lyles allowed four runs and seven hits -- two of them home runs -- in 5 2/3 innings. Kirby Yates (3-0) gave up a run in the eighth but got the win. Brad Hand got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his 14th save.
Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams gave up four runs and four hits in six innings.
Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the third on Francisco Cervelli's sacrifice fly.
The Padres moved ahead 2-1 in the fourth when Villanueva hit his 12th homer, a two-run screamer to center.
San Diego increased its lead to 4-1 in the fifth. Galvis led off with a single and moved to third on a double to the wall in right by Ellis. Manuel Margot's groundout brought Galvis home. Ellis beat a play at the plate on Lyles' bunt single.
The Pirates tied it in the sixth with two outs. Colin Moran walked before Meadows hit a 420-foot homer to right-center to make it 4-3. Mercer followed with a homer to left to make it 4-4.
In the eighth, Harrison's sacrifice fly gave Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead.
--Field Level Media