The Pittsburgh Pirates really don't care if it's a nine-inning, extra inning, or, in the case of Monday night, a six-inning victory, they'll take a victory however they can get it. Rain forced Monday's game to end after six innings, but that was enough to extend their win streak to 10 games with a 7-0 shutout of the Cleveland Indians. Josh Harrison had a huge three-run home run to keep the long ball rolling for the Bucs during this win streak, which now has them three games over .500 and in third place in the NL Central.
Gregory Polanco added a big two-run triple, as the Pirates got to Indians' ace Corey Kluber early on. The game was called after three separate rain delays that lasted a total of two hours, three minutes. That included the first pitch getting delayed by 55 minutes, following separate delays of 27 and 41 minutes. By the end of it, the Pirates had won 10 in a row for the first time since June 26th-July 5th of the 2004 season.
Kluber got his first start since July 12th due to a sore knee and suffered his sixth loss after being charged with seven runs against him, but only three of them were earned. The right-hander allowed nine hits and only struck out two over four innings, as he threw 72 pitches on the night. After a stellar beginning to his season, Kluber is now just 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA in his past seven starts.
Trevor Williams out-pitched him for the Pirates, getting awarded his first-career complete game shutout after going all six innings and allowing four hits in his eighth win. He was supported by Harrison's home run, which came in his first game since July 15th due to a hamstring injury. The home run ball wasn't going for everyone, as Corey Dickerson's four-game home run streak came to an end when he finished 1-for-3 with a walk. The Pirates now sit four games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, as their series with the Indians continues on Tuesday.
Gregory Polanco added a big two-run triple, as the Pirates got to Indians' ace Corey Kluber early on. The game was called after three separate rain delays that lasted a total of two hours, three minutes. That included the first pitch getting delayed by 55 minutes, following separate delays of 27 and 41 minutes. By the end of it, the Pirates had won 10 in a row for the first time since June 26th-July 5th of the 2004 season.
Kluber got his first start since July 12th due to a sore knee and suffered his sixth loss after being charged with seven runs against him, but only three of them were earned. The right-hander allowed nine hits and only struck out two over four innings, as he threw 72 pitches on the night. After a stellar beginning to his season, Kluber is now just 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA in his past seven starts.
Trevor Williams out-pitched him for the Pirates, getting awarded his first-career complete game shutout after going all six innings and allowing four hits in his eighth win. He was supported by Harrison's home run, which came in his first game since July 15th due to a hamstring injury. The home run ball wasn't going for everyone, as Corey Dickerson's four-game home run streak came to an end when he finished 1-for-3 with a walk. The Pirates now sit four games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, as their series with the Indians continues on Tuesday.
