By Wes Crosby, The Associated Press
August 5, 2017
Pittsburgh Pirates' Gregory Polanco hits a three-run home run off San Diego Padres relief pitcher Kirby Yates during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, in Pittsburgh. (Keith Srakocic/AP)
PITTSBURGH -- Gregory Polanco put himself into an exclusive club and the Pirates into the lead.
Polanco hit a go-ahead, three-run homer into the Allegheny River during a six-run seventh inning, and Pittsburgh rallied for a 10-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. Twenty-nine different players have hit 43 home runs into the river since the ballpark opened in 2001.
With Pittsburgh trailing 6-4 and two men on, Polanco gave the Pirates their first lead by sending a pinch-hit drive 434 feet onto the riverwalk beyond the right-field wall.
"It's one of those things where as soon as he hit the ball, you could feel the momentum switch for sure," Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison said. "I know we had second and third, the tying runs on, and you could already feel the momentum. I think that was the one knockout blow that you could feel kind of deflate them. We just kind of built off that."
Harrison capped the inning with a single that made it 10-6.
"We just kept fighting. Keep fighting. Keep fighting," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Padres right-hander Kirby Yates (2-2) was responsible for all six runs in the seventh and took the loss while recording just one out.
"You bring in Kirby. He wasn't sharp today," Padres manager Andy Greene said. "He's been sharp all season for us. It was just one of those days for him."
The Pirates have won two straight since losing eight of 10. They are tied for third in the National League Central, 4 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs.
A.J. Schugel (2-0) won for the first time since July 9, striking out one batter in the seventh.
San Diego homered in three straight innings. Carlos Asuaje gave the Padres a 3-0 lead with a two-run shot in the fifth, Yangervis Solarte made it 4-2 leading off the sixth and Manuel Margot made it 5-4 with a solo home run in the seventh.
Pirates starter Ivan Nova surrendered four runs -- one earned -- on six hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
Travis Wood allowed four runs on six hits in five innings during his second start for San Diego since being acquired from the Kansas City Royals on July 24. He was pulled after giving up a leadoff home run to David Freese and a single toJose Osuna to start the sixth inning.
"I felt great. I really felt good," Wood said. "It's a shame I couldn't at least get an out there, let alone finish the inning. I threw a back-door slider that Freese was able to hit out. And then a jam shot that falls in and (I'm) out of the game."
RAIN DELAY
Scattered thunderstorms in the Pittsburgh region delayed the start of the game 2 hours, 5 minutes. It began at 9:10 p.m. EDT.
FAVORABLE REVIEWS
Asuaje appeared to be thrown out at third base trying to stretch a double with two outs in the fifth inning. After an umpire review, it was ruled his hit bounced off the top of the right-center field wall and a fan in the front row, making it a two-run homer.
Solarte led off the following inning with a home run to nearly the same spot, leading to another review after it seemed a fan could have caught it over the field of play. The homer was upheld.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli returned from an undisclosed injury that had him out the past two games and Harrison played after missing the previous three games with lower leg discomfort. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle called Cervelli day-to-day Thursday.
UP NEXT
Padres: Rookie RHP Dinelson Lamet (5-4, 5.62) will look for his third straight win when he faces Pittsburgh on Saturday. He's allowed two runs in each of those two wins after allowing 12 combined runs in his previous two starts.
Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (9-7, 3.97) has allowed fewer than three runs in five consecutive starts and has won seven of his past nine decisions.
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