Pirates slip past Twins for 2-1 victory to end 8-game skid

MINNEAPOLIS -- — Spencer Horwitz had a bases-loaded RBI ground out in the ninth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended an eight-game slide by beating the Minnesota Twins 2-1 Sunday.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa tied a career high with four hits for Pittsburgh.

Ke’Bryan Hayes singled with one out in the ninth off Twins closer Jhoan Duran (5-4). Pinch-hitter Oneil Cruz had an infield single and Kiner-Falefa singled to load the bases.

Horwitz hit a sharp grounder that second baseman Brooks Lee dove to his right to stop. Looking to start a double play, Lee couldn’t cleanly get the ball out of his glove and had to settle for a force out at first allowing Hayes to score.

Dennis Santana pitched a scoreless eighth (3-2) for the Pirates and David Bednar earned his 13th save.

Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa and Harrison Bader each had two hits for Minnesota, which finished 6-3 on a nine-game homestand but failed to get back to .500 for the first time since June 17.

Mitch Keller allowed one run in six innings for Pittsburgh but again got little support. The Pirates have scored one or zero runs while Keller is in the game in 11 of his 20 starts.

Yet, his 14 quality starts are tied for second in the majors with Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler. San Francisco’s Logan Webb has 15.

Tommy Pham homered in the second for Pittsburgh. Buxton, who hit for the cycle Saturday, had an RBI double in the third.

Key moment

Tied 1-1, Minnesota had runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, but Willi Castro hit a dribbler in front of the plate and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was thrown out at third. Trevor Larnach then flew out.

Key stat

Minnesota’s Simeon Woods Richardson allowed six hits and one earned run in 4 2/3 innings. He’s allowed five earned runs in 30 2/3 innings in his past six starts.

Up next

Both teams return to action Friday after the All-Star break: Pittsburgh is home to the Chicago White Sox; Minnesota is at Colorado.

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