Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on Mar 31, 2019

Pittsburgh right-hander Trevor Williams pitched six shutout innings, allowing only three hits, and drove in two runs as the Pirates knocked off the host Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on Sunday for their first win, earning a split of their rain-abbreviated season-opening series.

Williams (1-0) allowed only one walk while striking out six in beating the Reds for the third straight time going back to 2018. He needed only 80 pitches, throwing 59 for strikes, to blank the Reds.

Williams drove in his first run with a single down the first base line in the second inning off Cincinnati starter Sonny Gray (0-1), who struggled badly in his Reds debut.

Gray went only 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, with no strikeouts. He threw 72 pitches, only 35 for strikes.

The unearned run came in the first inning after Gray dropped a toss from first baseman Joey Votto that enabled Starling Marte to reach on a ground ball. Marte later scored on a single by Josh Bell.

Williams also drove in a run in the third inning when he drew a bases-loaded walk, Gray's third walk in the inning, to make it 3-0.

The Reds' only threat against Williams came in the sixth, when an infield single by Jose Iglesias, a forceout at second, and a two-out single by Votto put runners at first and third, but Williams struck out Yasiel Puig on three pitches.

Right-hander Joe Musgrove, who would have started Sunday if Saturday's game not been postponed -- pushing Williams' start back a day -- relieved Williams and worked two perfect innings with one strikeout.

Musgrove, who last appeared in a game on March 20 in spring training, is scheduled to start Friday against the Reds in Pittsburgh.

In a non-save situation, the Pirates' closer, left-hander Felipe Vazquez, gave up a long double to center field by Votto with one out in the ninth inning, and then walked Eugenio Suarez with two out. Right-hander Keone Kela came on to strike out Matt Kemp looking to end the game.

The Pirates added two runs in the eighth against reliever Robert Stephenson, the fourth Reds pitcher, when Marte doubled in Adam Frazier, who had reached on a bunt single and took second on a throwing error by Reds third baseman Suarez.

Marte went to third when Stephenson threw wildly on a pickoff attempt, and scored on a groundout by Corey Dickerson.

Frazier and Melky Cabrera had two hits apiece among Pittsburgh's 10.

--Field Level Media