Final: Red Sox 5, Pirates 3

The Red Sox scored all five of their runs in the first two innings, then held on for dear life late in the game, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3. The win was the Red Sox' fourth in their last five games and brought them back to within a game of .500 for the season.

The Sox got three run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly in the first and an unearned run in the second, but didn't score again. Nick Pivetta limited the Pirates to one hit (and three walks) over seven shutout innings.

The Pirates loaded the bases in the eighth and Ben Gamel drilled a bases-cleared double to bring the Pirates to within two. But John Schreiber for the final out before Matt Barnes notched the same on a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 ninth.

WHO: Red Sox (57-59) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (45-70)
WHEN: 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: PNC Park
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nick Pivetta (8--9, 4.51) vs. RHP Mitch Keller (4-8, 4.25)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93,.7

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Pham LF
Devers 3B
Martinez DH
Verdugo RF
Arroyo 2B
Hosmer 1B
Hernandez SS
McGuire C
Duran CF

PIRATES

Marcano LF
Newman 2B
Reynolds CF
Gamel DH
Padlo 1B
Cruz SS
Castro 3B
Madris RF
Delay C

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won 3 of their last 4 games following a 4-game losing streak...They are 8-9 in their last 17 games, after going 5-15 in their previous 20. The Sox finished their 6-game homestand with a 3-3 record: 0-2 vs. ATL, 1-0 vs. BAL, 2-1 vs. NYY. The Red Sox have won consecutive series for the 1st time since they won 7 in a row from 6/3-26. ....The Red Sox are playing the Pirates for the 1st time since April 2017, when the clubs played a 3-game series at Fenway Park...The Sox are visiting PNC Park for the 1st time since a 3-game series in September 2014. Since Interleague play began in 1997, the Red Sox are 8-7 against the Pirates...The Sox are 5-1 vs. PIT at Fenway Park, but 3-6 at PNC Park. The Boston Americans, who became the Red Sox in 1908, played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1903 World Series, the 1st World Series ever held...Boston won the 9-game series, 5-3. ...Tonight begins the Sox’ 6-game road trip at PIT (3 games) and BAL (3 games). The Sox will play the Orioles in the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, PA, at 7:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, 8/21...The game will be broadcast on ESPN. ....The Sox are 4 games into the season-ending stretch during which 35 of their final 50 games of the season are against AL East opponents: BAL (11), NYY (9), TB (9), and TOR (6)...The Sox are 2-2 so far. The Sox are 2-11-1 in series against AL East teams but 13-4-4 in series against all other teams. ....The Sox are currently 5.0 games out of the 3rd and final AL Wild Card position. 34 of the Red Sox 46 remaining games are against teams ahead of them in the AL East or Wild Card standings...In addition to 31 against AL East teams, the Sox also play 3 games at MIN from 8/29-31. They began the season 10-19 through their first 29 games...They could become the 1st team to lose as many as 19 of their first 29 games and still make the Postseason since the 1989 Blue Jays (10-19). ...The Red Sox have come from behind in 5 of their last 8 wins and in 8 of their last 12. The Red Sox have won 7 of their last 8 extra-inning games, after losing each of their first 6 this season... Overall, their 7-7 (.500) record in extra innings is tied for the 4th-best record in the AL. ....Kiké Hernández has started 4 games for Double-A Portland during his rehab assignment, all in CF... Hernández is 3-for-12 (.250) with 2 2B, 2 RBI, and 1 BB. Rob Refsnyder has started 2 games for Portland, both in RF, going 3-for-4 with 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, and 3 BB. ....Alex Cora is 1 of 10 people to manage 600 games for the Red Sox...He ranks 10th on the Sox all-time managerial wins list (9th: Eddie Kasko, 345). Only 2 people who have managed at least 600 games for the Red Sox have a better winning % than Cora’s (.566, 341-261): Don Zimmer (.575, 411-304) and Terry Francona (.574, 744-552). Cora has also led the Red Sox to a 17-8 (.680) record in 25 Postseason games, winning the 2018 World Series and advancing to the 2021 ALCS. ...Sox starting pitchers have allowed 3 runs or fewer over 5.0+ innings in each of the club’s last 5 games. It is their longest streak since Sox starters allowed 3 runs or fewer over 5.0+ IP in 7 straight games from 6/19-26.  ...Sox relievers have allowed only 1 run in 12.1 IP over the club’s last 4 games (0.73 ERA)...In that time, Sox relievers have allowed just 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 17 batters. Garrett Whitlock is 1-1 with 3 saves, a 1.53 ERA, and an 0.57 WHIP in 10 outings since being reinstated from the Injured List on 7/15 (17.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 18 SO). John Schreiber ranks 6th in the AL and 10th in MLB with a 1.91 ERA (10 ER/47.0 IP; min. 45.0 IP). ...The Red Sox lead MLB this month with a .996 fielding percentage (2 errors, 476 chances). The Sox have 10 defensive runs saved at second base, 2nd-most in the AL (DET-13). Xander Bogaerts ranks 3rd among shortstops in UZR (4.8). Tommy Pham has 9 outfield assists this season, tied for 3rd among MLB outfielders and 1st among left fielders.  On 8/11 vs. BAL, Bogaerts became the 25th player in MLB history to record 150+ HR and 300+ 2B prior to turning 30 years old...Bogaerts, who turns 30 on 10/1, became just the 2nd shortstop to do so (Alex Rodriguez) and 2nd Red Sox player to do so (Carl Yastrzemski). 

NOTES: 

* Before the game, the Red Sox activated OF/IF Kike Hernandez from the IL while also activating OF Rob Refsnyder. Hernandez was in the lineup at shortstop, filling in from Xander Bogaerts, who fouled a ball off his foot the other night.

* To clear one room on the roster, the Red Sox optioned OF Jaylin Davis to Worcester. For the other, the team designated infielder Yolmer Sanchez for assignment.

* RHP Tanner Houck has been told he has a disc issue in his lower back and is deciding between several treatment options.