Tommy Pham had three hits, including two run-scoring doubles, to lead the host Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon.
Pham went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs while Spencer Horwitz had three hits and two RBI and Ke’Bryan Hayes had two hits and two RBI. Bryan Reynolds also had three hits as the Pirates totaled 15 overall to win for only the second time in their past eight games.
Josh Jung had two RBI and Sam Haggerty had two hits to lead Texas, which dropped its fourth game in its past six. The Rangers had taken the first two games of the weekend series.
Horwitz, who also had two doubles, Hayes and Pham drove in a combined seven runs from the 6-7-8 spots in the Pirates’ lineup.
Pittsburgh broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the fifth capped by the first of Pham’s doubles off Rangers reliever Caleb Boushley.
Jack Leiter (4-5) started the game for Texas and right-hander allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two over four innings.
Boushley absorbed the bulk of the Pirates’ offensive barrage, however, giving up five runs on 10 hits over four innings.
The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning off Pirates starter Bailey Falter (6-3) on back-to-back RBI singles by Josh Smith and Jung. Falter pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struggled a bit early, walking five batters, but escaped jams in the first and second with inning-ending double plays. Falter threw 89 pitches and was replaced with one out in the sixth inning by Caleb Ferguson.
The Pirates tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Hayes and a sacrifice fly by Pham.
Boushley replaced Leiter after he walked Oneil Cruz to open the fifth. Two batters later, Reynolds singled and Nick Gonzales, who added two hits, followed with an RBI single and to put Pittsburgh ahead for good.
Horwitz followed with a double that scored Reynolds and Joey Bart, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Hayes then drove in Horwitz on a single and scored on Pham’s double.
–Field Level Media
