Musgrove pitches 7 solid innings, Pirates beat Padres 2-1
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Musgrove endured a long eight days.
He got tossed in the first inning of his start on June 10 and lasted just four innings three days later. Since then, he sat.
His patience paid off Friday night.
Musgrove pitched five-hit, one-run ball through seven innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates capitalized on two errors by San Diego third baseman Manny Machado in a 2-1 win over the Padres.
"I think this was the perfect opportunity for him," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think he went out there and took advantage of the time. He took advantage of the side work. He took advantage of probably some extra gas in his tank."
Musgrove (5-7) lasted at least seven innings for the second time in four starts, striking out eight. He recovered from being ejected in the first inning after hitting an Atlanta batter with a pitch on June 10, and giving up six runs on nine hits in four innings against the Braves on June 13.
"I was hurting after that Atlanta series," Musgrove said. "I didn't throw a ton of pitches down there, but firing yourself up and preparing for a start, then having it taken away from you, then trying to fire things back up in three days ... It was pretty tough.
"My legs felt a little heavy today. I didn't feel like they were as strong as they usually are in a five-day rotation, but my arm felt really fresh."
Machado, playing his 1,000th major league game, fumbled a ground ball from Jung Ho Kang in the seventh inning before tossing it past first base. Jose Osuna drove in Steven Brault, who was pinch-running for Kang, to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.
"(Machado's) as good as there is," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He's also human. Those things happen from time to time."
Pittsburgh reliever Kyle Crick walked the bases loaded in the eighth before getting Franmil Reyes to pop to first to end the inning. Felipe Vázquez gave up one hit in the ninth and picked up his 18th save.
The Pirates won for the third time in four games after losing 19 of their previous 26. The Padres had their four-game winning streak halted.
The loss spoiled an efficient outing by Padres starter Eric Lauer (5-7), who allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings with 80 pitches (58 strikes).
Lauer allowed hits to two of the first three batters he faced, including a double down the left-field line by Starling Marte that scored Bryan Reynolds, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead. He didn't give up another hit until the fifth, when Elias Diaz and Musgrove had two-out singles.
Before his pair of costly errors, Machado tied the game 1-1 in the fourth with his 15th homer of the season, which went 425 feet, off the batter's eye in center.
"I will never complain about a play that Manny doesn't make, just because he picks me up so much," Lauer said. "That one (in the seventh), I really wanted to pick him up. I went over to him and I told him, 'Man, I really wanted to pick you up there because you've done it to me so many times.'"
Pirates second baseman Kevin Newman singled to center in the eighth, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco, who has three hits in his last 22 at-bats, sat for a third straight game since going 1 for 4 with a double in a 5-4 win against Miami on June 16. ... LHP Steven Brault will pitch against San Diego on Sunday, with RHP Jordan Lyles recovering from tightness in his left hamstring. Brault pitched six scoreless innings against Miami in his last outing, on June 14.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Chris Paddack (4-4, 3.15) will look to make it past the fifth inning for the first time since May 20 when he faces Pittsburgh on Saturday. He has allowed 13 runs (12 earned) in 14 1/3 innings through his past three starts.
Pirates: RHP Chris Archer (3-6, 5.85) will try to find some consistency Saturday after giving up 11 runs in 11 innings during last starts, since allowing one in six innings of a 6-1 win over Atlanta on June 6.
