Konnor Griffin has 4 hits as the Pirates rally past the Royals to reach .500

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had four hits, Brandon Lowe hit his 32nd homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates surged past the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday night.

Pittsburgh churned out 15 hits against Kansas City to overcome an early four-run deficit to move back to .500 (77-77) in its bid for the franchise’s first winning season since 2018.

The 20-year-old Griffin, who missed two months with a left-hand injury that coincided with a summer swoon that saw the Pirates’ playoff hopes evaporate, posted the third four-hit game of his young career. His RBI single in the seventh off reliever Nate Pearson (2-2) capped a three-run rally.

Yohan Ramirez (7-4) retired all four batters he faced in relief to pick up the win. Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his 15th save, but just his first since Aug. 1.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey homered for the Royals, but Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of a so-so performance by Pirates ace Paul Skenes.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner scuffled at times during his likely next-to-last start of the season. The 24-year-old right-hander was tagged for five runs in six innings with a walk and seven strikeouts but found a rhythm late, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced. Still, his ERA ticked up to 3.91, nearly double the 1.97 he posted a year ago while becoming the first Pirate to win pitching’s biggest award since 1992.

Kansas City starter Randy Dobnak, a Pittsburgh native, struggled in his second career start in his hometown. The 31-year-old allowed four runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing since making his debut with the Royals in July.

Up next

The series continues Saturday. Noah Cameron (9-8, 3.84 ERA) was set to start for the Royals against Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler (8-9, 4.28).

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