With an out in the seventh inning and a Pittsburgh Pirates run behind the Cleveland Guardians, Ji-Man Choi watched and wished while he waited on deck behind Carlos Santana.

“I was hoping he would take a walk so I could probably make a difference up there,” Choi said through interpreter Daniel Park. “When the bases are loaded, I can actually concentrate a little more.”

Choi followed up with a line drive to right field for a two-run single that gave the Pirates the lead and later slid across home plate to score after Jared Triolo’s two-run single that provided the perfect cushion worried.

The Pirates ended their offensive ineptness against Cleveland and rebounded from a four-run deficit with a seventh run from five to a 7-5 win Wednesday afternoon before 26,541 at PNC Park.

The Pirates (42-54) ended a five-game losing streak and failed to win both the three-game streak and six-game home streak after losing three straight losses to the San Francisco Giants over the weekend.

“We were struggling,” said Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, “so it was good to get a win and make it such a comeback win.”

The Guardians had outplayed the Pirates 21-1 in the first two games of the series. The Pirates had only 10 runs in the five games since the All-Star break and were unwilling to embark on a six-game trip to play the Los Angeles Angels and the San Diego Padres, and in an ominous one Mood.

“It was a big win,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “I give them credit because we kept grinning. It could have been a (bad) situation. We got a run in the first two games and managed it pretty well. They kept going even though they went under.”

The seventh place served as a rallying point for the pirates.

After Nick Gonzales pulled a one-out walk against Nick Sandlin in the seventh game, the Guardians brought in left-hander Sam Hentges to take on pinch-hitter Endy Rodriguez. The rookie catcher, who was 0 for 7 with six strikeouts in his first two career games, hit a bloop single that landed flat left of center in his first major league hit.

“It shows that they trust me,” said Rodriguez, the Pirates’ 2022 minor league player of the year. “That’s good. If they trust me and I trust myself, we’ll have something good. It’s good for me.”

Connor Joe hit a pinch hit for Jack Suwinski and missed an infield single to stress the bases, setting the stage for a crucial play that marked the turning point.

Reynolds missed a sharp grounder in what was initially thought to be a 6-4-3 double play late in the inning on a tight call at first base. The Pirates challenged the call and it was overturned, allowing Gonzales to score and reduce Cleveland’s lead to 4-3.

“I always run hard across the board,” Reynolds said with a shrug. “Of course I was hoping to be safe. I thought it was me when I hit the sack. Basically it was about people having good bats and passing the baton down the line.”

Carlos Santana pulled a full-count walk to again fill in bases for Choi, who aligned the two-run single to the right and gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead.

The Guardians turned to Enyel De Los Santos, but Henry Davis pulled another full-count walk to cover bases for the third time. Triolo hit a two-run single to the left to score Santana and Choi for a 7-4 lead.

“That’s exactly what we talked about, having this big inning where we can get the win,” Triolo said. “We had guys throughout the lineup who swung good balls and had good bats. That’s what it takes.”

Cleveland got a boost when first baseman Josh Bell shot Ryan Borucki’s 2-1 sweeper for his 11th home run — and second in as many games against his former team — Ryan Borucki 401 feet into left field and the stand shortened to 7:5.

David Bednar threw a clean ninth throw, earning his 18th save.

Rich Hill, the Pirates’ left-hander, was knocked out after the first six batters he faced before David Fry hit a leadoff double from Clemente Wall in the third and then advanced to third base through Myles Straw’s sacrificial bunt. But Hill tricked Cam Gallagher into seeing a full-count curveball for a strikeout and then tricked Steven Kwan into dodging to the left, where Reynolds made a diving catch.

The Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the fourth set when Andres Gimenez landed a perfect squeeze bunt on first baseline and Jose Ramirez scored from third base.

Cleveland added three more runs in the fourth run when Amed Rosario hit a two-run double that popped out of Jack Suwinski’s glove when he crashed into the bullpen fence left of center, and Bell followed up with a single to the right Center to make Rosario score 4-0.

The Pirates responded in the fifth set when Davis hit a leadoff single, advanced to third base with Triolo’s single to the left, and scored when Gonzales smoked a single through the middle. Suwinski doubled to the right to hit Triolo and cut the Guardians’ lead to 4-2.

Triolo extended his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest by a Pirates player this season and the second-longest active streak in baseball. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Triolo is only the third Pirates player since 1900 to have a streak of 12 or more games in his first 17 career games, tied with Jewel Ens (1922) and Woody Jensen (1931).

The Pirates pulled Hill after his 97th pitch led to a two-out double from Straw, and Dauri Moreta got Gallagher eyeing a 95-mph four-seater at the top of the zone for what was called a third shot to prevent a run.

“We’re obviously against the urgency of winning,” Hill said. “In my position as a starter, I have to do better and put us in a better winning position and that’s frustrating. But I take full responsibility for that. I think the comeback effect we’ve had all year is because we made it early. We know we can do it and we’ve proven it.”

Kevin Gorman is a Contributor to Tribune-Review. You can contact Kevin via email at kgorman@triblive.com or via Twitter.

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Michael Harris hit two homers and Bryce Elder, one of Atlanta’s eight All-Stars, threw 6 2/3 solid innings and led the Braves to their ninth straight win of the season Monday, 4-2 over the Cleveland Guardians night .

Harris scored solo shots in the third and fifth innings against Guardians rookie Gavin Williams (0-1). Atlanta’s No. 9 hitter is hitting .416 (37 of 89) with seven homers and 16 RBIs in his last 24 games.

Marcell Ozuna also scored for the Braves, who have won 17-of-18 and 24-of-27. Atlanta, which had three winning streaks in at least eight games, improved its MLB best record to 57-27.

Elder (7-1) didn’t give up a run until Amed Rosario hit a two-run single in the seventh. AJ Minter came on as a substitute and came out of a two-for-one save, and Nick Anderson eliminated Myles Straw with two opponents in the eighth. Raisel Iglesias hit a 1-2-3 ninth on his 15th save.

REDS 3, NATIONALS 2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joey Votto hit a home run in two runs to end a 21-0 loss, Ian Gibaut pitched in the sixth inning from a stalemate and Cincinnati beat Washington for a fifth win in six games.

Votto hit a fourth-round home run on Jake Irvin, placing the ball squarely in the left-midfielder’s bullpen and powering Elly De La Cruz. It’s his fourth home run in 12 games this season since his return in June.

Luke Weaver (2-2) clinched the win by allowing two earned runs on six hits in more than five innings. He was spared a tenth straight non-decision – or worse – when Gibaut made the sixth run, conceding just one goal, knocking out Corey Dickerson and causing a Derek Hill flyout.

Catcher Tyler Stephenson drove in the Reds’ other heat with an RBI single in the second. Fresh from being named an All-Star, closer Alexis Díaz made his 24th save.

Jeimer Candelario hit his twelfth home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth inning for Washington. Irvin (1-4) batted three and allowed six hits.

MARLINS 5, CARDINALS 4

MIAMI (AP) — Nick Fortes hit an RBI starting shot in the seventh inning and Miami battled St. Louis.

Marlin’s pinch hitter Yuli Gurriel equalized in game seven with a two-run double against reliever Andre Pallante (2-1) after two straight walks. The Marlins then used the fast Jon Berti to secure the run for Gurriel, and Berti scored with Fortes’ groundball single.

Tanner Scott, the Marlins’ reserve, hit a scoreless eighth to retain the lead and AJ Puk secured the last three outs for his 14th save of the season.

Paul DeJong had broken a 2-2 tie for the Cardinals with an RBI double in game six. Willson Contreras was 3 of 4, completing the cycle in trebles.

Huascar Brazoban (3-1) secured the last two outs of the seventh round and secured the win.

YANKEES 6, ORIOLES 3

NEW YORK (AP) — Harrison Bader hit a crucial three-run home run in the eighth inning and New York rallied to beat Baltimore.

Anthony Volpe scored the winning run in the seventh game on a wild pitch from All-Star Relief player Yennier Cano (1-1) before the Yankees made the comeback before post-game fireworks.

Giancarlo Stanton opened the eighth with a hard single against Cano before Anthony Rizzo followed with a single against Danny Coulombe. After putting in a strong performance in the first pitch, Bader hit a 1-1 winner for his seventh home run in left field.

Tommy Kahnle (1-0) sat out former Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks in the eighth round to tie the game. Clay Holmes scored two strikeouts for his tenth save in a 1-2-3 ninth set.

The second-placed Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games and are three games ahead of third-placed New York in the division standings.

BREWERS 8, CUBS 6

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Newly signed Jahmai Jones hit a narrow three-run double in his first major league appearance since 2021, helping Milwaukee move past Chicago.

After bases loaded and there were two outs in the seventh inning, Jones hit a line drive on the first pitch from reliever Anthony Kay, who one-hoped off the midfield wall and hit Raimel Tapia, Christian Yelich and Owen Miller, causing the Game ended in 6-0 draw .

The Brewers finished their comeback six runs down in the eighth inning with an RBI single from Willy Adames and a sacrifice fly from Miller – both ahead of Mark Leiter Jr. (1-2) – to take an 8-6 lead.

Brewers All-Star Devin Williams conceded a double from Nico Hoerner and a walk to Ian Happ in the ninth round, then knocked out All-Star Dansby Swanson to earn his 18th save.

Joel Payamps (3-1) threw a perfect eighth inning for Milwaukee.

The Brewers won their third straight game to stay tied with Cincinnati for first place in the NL Central. The Cubs have lost three straight games and seven of their last eight games.

ASTROS 12, RANGERS 11

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick had back-to-back RBI doubles in the ninth inning and second-placed Houston Astros rebounded after giving up an eight-run lead.

Abreu and McCormick also scored earlier for Houston, who picked up three out of four games against their state rival to move up the league lead within three games. It’s the closest result the Astros have had in a month after trailing a full 6 1/2 games.

Kyle Tucker, who led Houston’s best eighth Grand Slam 6-0 in the second round, led in the ninth round with a single against Rangers closer Will Smith (1-3), who made only his second save from 16 chances. Abreu and McCormick then followed Alex Bregman’s deep flyout with their doubles.

The Rangers had their only lead from Corey Seager’s sacrificial flight, leading to an 11-10 score in the eighth.

Bryan Abreu (3-2), Houston’s fifth pitcher, allowed that run in the eighth before Ryan Pressly machined the ninth for his 18th save in 21 attempts.

TWINS 8, ROYAL 4

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Edouard Julien hit a pinch hit and a solo home run to start a five-run eighth inning and Minnesota defeated Kansas City for the seventh time in eight games this season.

Carlos Correa had four hits from the starting position and Byron Buxton scored two runs with sacrifice flies for the Twins.

The Royals had leveled the score early in the inning with a solo home run by Nick Pratto against Brent Headrick (2-0), the first batter he faced.

Kansas City reliever Taylor Clarke (1-3) gave up five runs and five hits, retiring just one of the seven batters he faced.

The Royals have lost 11 of their last 12 games in Minnesota.

MARINERS 6, GIANTS 5

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run double against All-Star closeer Camilo Doval in a four-run ninth inning and Seattle was able to beat San Francisco.

JP Crawford broke a 2-all tie with a sacrifice fly against Doval. Rodríguez’s double made it 5-2, and Teoscar Hernández added an RBI single with two outs, giving the Mariners Doval his worst performance in the majors.

Andrés Muñoz (2:1) secured victory in eighth place. Doval (2-3) saved for the third time in 27 chances this season.

Rookie catcher Blake Sabol hit two home runs and drove all five runs for the Giants. He launched a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth to put San Francisco on point. Pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores hit a single before Paul Sewald knocked out Brandon Crawford to end the game.

PADRES 10, ANGELS 3

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Blake Snell helped keep All-Star hitters Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout in the ballpark, and Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run home run that gave the disappointing San Diego a big win.

Trout left the game with an apparent left hand or wrist injury after committing an offfield foul in the eighth inning’s break. He immediately shook his arm. Angels manager Phil Nevin and a trainer came out to check on the superstar and he left the field.

Ohtani wasn’t able to add to his 31 homers, which led in the major leagues. He went twice. Trout, who has 18 home runs, walked, had two singles and hit one run.

In perhaps the biggest batting attempt of the night, rookie reliever Tom Cosgrove beat Ohtani in three straight pitches with two runners in the sixth pitch, a hitter after Trout hit an RBI single, and put the Angels 4-2.

Snell (5-7) held the Angels on seven hits while he had seven hits in five innings and had four walks.

Jaime Barria (2-4) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings, hitting out five and walking none.

DODGERS 5, PIRATES 2

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Muncy hit his 18th home run of the season and Los Angeles gave Dave Roberts his 700th win as a manager of the Dodgers.

Jason Heyward and Miguel Rojas had RBI doubles to help the Dodgers get back on their feet after losing the final two games of a weekend series in Kansas City.

Caleb Ferguson (5-3), the second of six Los Angeles pitchers, clinched the win. Evan Phillips converted the ninth goal into his twelfth save

Mitch Keller (9-4) gave up five runs (four earned) and hit out seven in five innings. The Pirates have lost three straight games by leaving nine on base and were 2 to 9 with runners in point position.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Manager Terry Francona calls it playing “clean baseball.” In other words, playing baseball without mistakes.

He knew that would be a challenge at times this season with the youngest roster in the big leagues. One of those challenges arrived Saturday night in the Guardians’ 4-2 loss to the Giants at Progressive Field.

In the eighth inning, with the score tied, 2-2, a botched double play and a wild pitch allowed the Giants to score twice against Nick Sandlin (0-1) on the way to their fourth straight win.

Brandon Belt started the eighth with an infield hit to third. First baseman Owen Miller put a glove on Jose Ramirez’s throw, but Belt’s hand knocked the ball loose. Sandlin struck out Darin Ruf, but allowed a single to Austin Slater and walked Brandon Crawford to load the bases.

Wilmer Flores sent a hard grounder to Ernie Clement at second. Clement made a nice stop and threw to Amed Rosario for the force at second, but Miller was late getting to first and Rosario had to double pump. The delay allowed Flores to be safe and belt to score for a 3-2 lead. Sandlin followed with a wild pitch that skipped past rookie catcher Bryan Lavastida as Slater scored for a 4-2 edge.

Dominic Leone (1-0), who pitched for Cleveland in 2020, pitched a scoreless seventh for the win. Jake McGee pitched the ninth for his first save of the season, allowing the first two batters to reach base. After Clement bounced into a force at second, McGee struck out pinch hitter Oscar Mercado with runners on the corners and then induced a bouncer to the mound from Myles Straw to end the game.

On the double play that wasn’t turned, Miller was on his way to the middle of the diamond to take the cutoff throw from center field because he anticipated the ball was getting through. When Clement gloved the ball, Miller had to backtrack to the bag.

“We talked to him about it,” Francona said. “I want to make sure we’re just not beating him over the head with it. We’re moving him around and we just explained, ‘Hey, slow down. Think about what your priorities are.’ Those are things that are going to happen, hopefully not every night, with youth. There is going to be some growing pains at times.”

Miller said he used the wrong footwork on the play. There is nothing wrong with what he’s doing at the plate. He went 2-for-2 with two walks and is leading the AL with a .560 (14-for-25) batting average.

“My footwork got mixed up and I took a wrong step,” said Miller. “It just took me a little bit longer to get back to the base.”

As for his success at the plate, Miller said, “I always like to say, ‘Don’t let early numbers foot you good or bad.’ I just try to keep a level head and get to work each day.”

The Guardians’ feast-or-famine offense is once again on a diet of bread and water. They scored one run in their first two games of the season, 44 runs in the next four and three in losses to the Giants on Friday and Saturday nights.

Straw pulled the Guardians into a 2-2 tie in the seventh with a double off the wall in left. Miller opened the inning with a double. Miller leads the AL with seven doubles and eight extra-base hits.

Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani retired the next two batters, but Straw doubled to erase San Francisco’s 2-1 lead. When the ball left the bat, it appeared Straw may have homered off DeSclafani, but a strong wind blowing in from left field kept the ball in the park.

San Francisco’s pitchers entered the game limiting the opposition to a .141 batting average with two out.

The Guardians loaded the bases in the sixth as Jarlin Garcia walked Josh Naylor and Miller with two out. The inning ended when pinch-hitter Clement grounded into a force out at second.

Straw opened the game with a triple down the left field line. He was called out by third-base umpire Paul Emmel, but the Guardians challenged and the call was overturned to give Straw his first triple of the season. Steven Kwan went down on a shallow fly ball to left, but Jose Ramirez sent a sacrifice fly to center to score Straw for a 1-0 lead. It was Ramirez’s AL-leading 15th RBI.

Cal Quantrill protected the lead through four innings, but he threw a lot of pitches to do so. In the fifth, following a one-out single by Thairo Estrada, Steven Duggan doubled off the wall in left to put runners on second and third. The double came on Quantrill’s 79th pitch.

He came back to strike out Joey Bart on a 3-2 pitch, but walked Mike Yastrzemski to load the bases. Lefty Logan Allen relieved to face lefty Brandon Belt, but Belt singled through the middle for a 2-1 lead — it was the first base hit in 23 at-bats for Belt against Cleveland. Allen stopped the Giants right there as Darin Ruf went down on a fly ball to right.

“He competed so well that I really wanted to give him a chance to get out of the fifth,” said Francona. “I probably left him in one hitter longer than I was comfortable with, but I thought he’d earned it.”

Quantrill allowed two runs on two hits in 4 2/3 innings. He throws 91 pitches, striking out two and walking three.

DeSclafani allowed two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four with no walks.

Next: RHP Aaron Civale (0-0, 5.40) will face the Giants and LHP Alex Wood (0-0, 4.5) on Sunday at 1:40 pm Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.

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