Brault, Corner Infielders Lead Pirates to 7-2 Win In Cincy

Steven Brault navigated through the Reds’ offense for 5.1 innings without allowing a run and Josh Bell and Colin Moran each hit a three run homer in a comfortable 7-2 Pirate victory.

Brault (2-1) was perfect through his first time in the order, but had to wriggle out of a couple jams in later innings, stranding a pair of runners in the fourth and fifth innings.

Brault struck out five, walked two- once intentionally- and allowed three hits.

He got plenty of soft contact, surrendering just two hard hit (95+ MPH exit velocity) balls all game, topping out at 100.1 MPH.

Brault needed a little help to close out his ledger, relying on Richard Rodriguez and Francisco Liriano to strand an inherited runner and close out the sixth.

Colin Moran broke a scoreless tie in the sixth by taking Anthony DeSclafani (2-3) deep to left to put the Bucs up 3-0.

In the seventh, Josh Bell went to the opposite field as well to put the game out of reach.

Bell also had a pair of singles in a 3-5 performance. Bryan Reynolds went 2-4 with a walk and an RBI.

Clay Holmes allowed two runs in 2.2 IP to close the game.

The win means the Pirates reach the one-third mark of the season at 27-27.

On Deck

The Pirates are heading back to Pittsburgh for a seven game homestand, starting Thursday with a four game set with the Brewers. The marquee in game one will be Joe Musgrove (3-5, 4.27) vs. Chase Anderson (2-0, 3.25) with the first pitch coming at 7:05 p.m..

NUMB3RS

1. Bell’s 90 total bases this month are a Pirate single season record for May.

2. Brault got five whiffs with his cutter, a new career high. He threw it 15 times.

3. Bell’s home run had a 93.9 MPH exit velocity- the softest hit by a Pirate this year. He also has the seven hardest hit homers by the Bucs in 2019.