Bailey Falter tossed seven shutout innings and Bryan Reynolds drove in the lone run as the host Pittsburgh Pirates earned a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
The Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak while ending the Reds’ five-game winning streak. Pittsburgh recorded its fifth shutout and beat Cincinnati for the first time in five tries this year, leveling the current three-game series at one win apiece. The Reds were blanked for the eighth time.
Falter (3-3) allowed four hits and struck out five in his 79-pitch outing. He did not issue a walk after finishing his most recent start with a career-high-tying five walks. It was the first time in his career that he pitched seven or more innings without walking a batter.
Pirates reliever David Bednar gave up a leadoff single in the top of the ninth after a 10-pitch at-bat by TJ Friedl, who led the Reds with two hits. However, Santiago Espinal grounded into a double play, and Bednar retired Elly De La Cruz on a flyout to pick up his fourth save.
Falter has gone 16 2/3 innings without allowing a run. Since his ERA ballooned to 8.10 after a tough start on April 5 against the New York Yankees, Falter has lowered it to 3.50 over his past eight outings. Falter did not allow a run in a start that lasted six or more innings for the third time this season.
Falter outdueled Reds starter Nick Martinez (2-5), who gave up one run on four hits and two walks in six innings while striking out three.
Reynolds’ RBI single in the sixth inning scored Oneil Cruz to break a scoreless stalemate. Cruz reached on a walk and then got to second on his second stolen base of the night, his National League-leading 18th of the season.
Friedl led off the game with a triple on the fourth pitch, but Falter proceeded to retire Espinal on a ground out, De La Cruz on a strikeout and Austin Hays on a popout.
Espinal doubled to lead off the top of the fourth, but Falter again recovered and retired the next three batters in order.
Spencer Horwitz had two hits and a walk for Pittsburgh.
