Pirates Beat Reds Off Strong Pitching Performance

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Zach Thompson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and Daniel Vogelbach homered to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night. Brandon Drury broke up the no-hit bid by lining a clean single to right field with two outs. Despite having not allowed a hit that deep into the game, Thompson wasn’t thinking no-no. That was the only hit allowed by Thompson (2-3) in six innings. He had three walks and three strikeouts while throwing 76 pitches. He combined with Wil Crowe, Chris Stratton and David Bednar on a four-hitter that ended the Reds’ three-game winning streak. Thompson entered with a 7.08 ERA in six games, including five starts, but ran his scoreless innings streak to 12. Last Sunday, he pitched five shutout innings at Cincinnati but did not get a decision. Bednar retired the last four batters for his sixth save in as many opportunities. Vogelbach’s 433-foot leadoff home run to center off Luis Castillo in the fourth made it 3-0. It was Vogelbach’s team-leading sixth homer and the game’s lone extra-base hit. Rodolfo Castro had two of the Pirates’ five hits.