PITTSBURGH (AP) — Eduardo Rodríguez pitched eight shutout innings, Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday, clinching the three-game series.
Arizona (57-52) now sits two games up on the Pirates (55-54) for the final NL wild card.
Rodríguez (10-3) struck out two while giving up five hits on 105 pitches before Brandyn Garcia closed out a hitless ninth inning for his second save of the
year.
The loss marked the fifth straight against a left-handed opener for Pittsburgh, while Diamondbacks starters gave up zero earned runs in 20 2/3 innings pitched this series.
Moreno scored the game's first runs, smashing a slider 407 feet into the lawn past the center-field wall. With the hit, he extended his on-base streak to 26 consecutive games.
Max Kepler drove in the only other score with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
Despite three consecutive three-up, three-down innings to start the game, Jared Jones (2-2) surrendered all three runs and struck out five in six innings for the Pirates.
The Pirates have been shut out in three of their last seven games. They lost 2-0 to the Yankees a week ago and 11-0 to the Cubs on Saturday.
Diamondbacks: After an off day, LHP Mitch Bratt (0-1, 6.32 ERA) takes the mound for Game 1 of a weekend series at the Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
Pirates: Yet to announce a starter for Thursday's opener of a four-game series at the Cincinnati Reds.
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