PITTSBURGH — Rookie infielder Liover Peguero had two hits in a six-run third inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates chased Spencer Strider early before holding off the Atlanta Braves for a rain-delayed 7-6 victory Monday night.
Connor Joe homered in the fourth to help the fourth-place Pirates hand the major league-leading Braves their third consecutive defeat. Pittsburgh ended an eight-game losing streak to Atlanta that dated to 2021.
Strider (12-4), runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, matched a career low by pitching just 2 2/3 innings. He also lasted only 2 2/3 innings a year to the day prior against the New York Mets.
Strider had gone 8-1 in his previous 12 starts. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out three.
“You’re going to have bad starts from time to time,” Strider said. “But you can’t have a bad start to this level.”
Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) retired all four batters he faced for the win.
PHOTOS: Pirates score 6 in 3rd to chase Strider and then hold off the Braves 7-6 after rain delay
The Braves closed to 7-6 in the ninth when Michael Harris II hit a leadoff double and scored on Ozzie Albies’ groundout, but closer David Bednar held on for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
“These last three games, we’ve been right there. We’ve been a hit away, but it makes it hard when you have to come from behind,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “We brought the tying run or the winning run to the plate each of the last three days, but we didn’t make it happen.”
Matt Olson had two hits and drove in two runs for Atlanta, raising his season total to 99 RBIs. Albies hit his 26th home run and Austin Riley had two hits.
The Pirates broke a scoreless tie with their big third inning on the way to their third win in four games.
Peguero led off with a double and scored on Joe’s groundout. Pittsburgh added five more in the inning with two outs as Andrew McCutchen hit an RBI double and scored on Henry Davis’ single before Jared Triolo had a two-run single. Peguero capped the rally by greeting reliever Michael Tonkin with a run-scoring single.
“When I made good pitches they were spoiling them or putting them in play, and then I stopped making good pitches,” Strider said. “Maybe I needed to be more aggressive, needed to go right at them. Again, it’s easy to say in hindsight.”
A week after trading four veteran players at the deadline, the Pirates were happy to beat a team like the Braves and one of the better young pitchers in the game.
“It was awesome. It was a great inning,” Triolo said. “I think it really helped change the momentum of the game, obviously. Putting up early runs like that, it was really good. Running (Strider) out of there, too, that was awesome.”
The Braves chased Pirates starter Osvaldo Bido during a four-run fourth that drew them within 6-4. Albies homered with one out before Olson and Marcell Ozuna hit RBI singles. The fourth run scored on Davis’ error in right field.
Bido allowed four runs - three earned - in four innings.
Joe led off the bottom half with a home run against Tonkin. The Braves got a run back in the fifth when Olson singled to make it 7-5.
The game was delayed for 78 minutes after the fifth because of rain.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: LHP Dylan Lee (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to pitch for the second time Tuesday on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. … OF Sam Hilliard (bruised right heel) has had his rehab assignment with Gwinnett paused because of pain in his heel.
UP NEXT
RHP Yonny Chirinos (5-4, 4.42 ERA) starts for the Braves on Tuesday night against Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (9-8, 4.35). Chirinos will be making his third start since being acquired from Tampa Bay. Keller is 0-4 with a 9.97 ERA in four starts since pitching in the All-Star Game last month.
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