Yasmani Grandal hits walk-off HR as Pirates high Reds

Yasmani Grandal hit a walk-off two-run home run to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 win and claim the series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

With Bryan De La Cruz on and one out in the ninth, Grandal knocked a fastball into the seats in right-center field against Cincinnati closer Alexis Diaz (1-4).

Aroldis Chapman (5-4) threw a scoreless eighth to earn the win.

The Reds struggled to capitalize on a handful of baserunners through the first six innings against starter Luis Ortiz, who held them scoreless on four hits and fanned five.

Reliever Kyle Nicolas stepped in to start the seventh with the Pirates holding a 2-0 lead, and Cincinnati finally broke through.

Noelvi Marte hit a single to left field and Jonathan India followed with a double. That ended the brief outing for Nicolas, as Jalen Beeks came in to face Elly De La Cruz.

The Cincinnati shortstop singled to drive in Marte and cut the deficit in half. Beeks then intentionally walked Tyler Stephenson to load the bases with one out and TJ Friedl connected on a sacrifice bunt, reaching first on a fielding error by Beeks, which brought in India to tie the game 2-2.

With the bases still full, Beeks walked Spencer Steer, which sent De La Cruz home to put the Reds in front 3-2.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first. Isiah Kiner-Falefa opened with a single to left field, went to second on a fielding error by Steer and advanced to third on Oneil Cruz’s single to right. He then scored when Joey Bart grounded out.

Bart, playing as the designated hitter, left the game on the play with a leg injury sustained on his run to first base.

In the third, Michael A. Taylor knocked a leadoff single and made it to second on Friedl’s fielding error. He went to third on Kiner-Falefa’s groundout and scored on a single from Bryan Reynolds.

Reds starter Nick Martinez went three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.

–Field Level Media