Pirates Romp Giants On West Coast

SAN FRANCISCO — Gregory Polanco homered, drove in three runs and scored twice, and Kevin Newman matched his career high with four hits for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who beat the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants 10-2 Saturday night. Polanco lofted a sacrifice fly in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the third and then connected for his 11th homer in the fifth, all against Giants starter Kevin Gausman (9-4). Newman added a two-run single in the fifth off John Brebbia, who relieved Gausman, to give the Pirates a 6-1 lead. The Pirates added three runs in the eighth. The highlight was when Michael Perez hit an RBI triple and scored on Wilmer Difo’s sacrifice fly. The Pirates accumulated a season-high 16 hits. Their run total was one shy of their best for 2021. Giants manager Gabe Kapler had outfielder Mike Tauchman pitch the ninth to spare the bullpen. Tauchman allowed one run and three hits. Pirates starter Wil Crowe (2-5) held San Francisco to two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings while striking out a career-high nine and issuing one walk. Pittsburgh is 16-6 at Oracle Park dating to 2014. The Giants still own the majors’ best record but have lost two games in a row to the Pirates, the NL Central’s last-place club.