Lowe, Davis each homer to lead Pirates over Mariners
PITTSBURGH — Brandon Lowe hit his team-leading 19th home run of the season and Henry Davis had a two-run blast as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Seattle Mariners 5-1 on Thursday.
Lowe’s homer was a solo shot off Bryce Miller with one out in the bottom of the first inning to open the scoring. He added an RBI single in a two-run eighth. Lowe also leads the Pirates with 51 runs batted in after being acquired from Tampa Bay in an offseason trade.
Davis entered the game with a .136 batting average. However, the catcher’s two-run home run, his sixth, in the third inning pushed the Pirates’ lead to 3-1. Davis finished 2 for 3 to raise his average to .148.
Miller (3-2) tied his career high with 11 strikeouts in just 5 2/3 innings. Miller also had no walks as the American League West leaders lost two of three in the series.
Rookie Bubba Chandler (3-7) pitched 5 1/3 innings for the win, allowing one run and five hits while striking out four and walking three. Evan Sisk, Yohan Ramirez, Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto combined for 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings.
J.P. Crawford singled home the Mariners’ lone run in fifth inning.
Ryan O’Hearn had an RBI single in the eighth for the Pirates.
Horwitz to IL
The Pirates placed first baseman Spencer Horwitz on the 10-day injured list Thursday because of a left hamstring injury.
Horwitz was injured Wednesday night in an 11-1 win over the Mariners. He felt a grabbing sensation in his leg while grounding into a double play in the third inning. He was removed for a pinch-hitter an inning later.
In 74 games this season, Horwitz is hitting .280 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI.
Infielder Jack Brannigan was recalled from Double-A Altoona. The 25-year-old has yet to make it in the big leagues after being selected in the third round of the 2012 draft from Notre Dame.
Up next
Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (2-6, 5.32 ERA) pitches against Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (6-3, 4.05) on Friday night in the opener a three-game series in Cleveland.
Pirates: Open a three-game weekend series against visiting Cincinnati on Friday night. The Pirates are starting Paul Skenes (6-7, 2,86) while Lefty Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.83) gets the ball for the Reds.