Aug 5, 2017 4 min read

PITTSBURGH — Rookie Dinelson Lamet allowed just one hit in 5 2/3 innings, Wil Myers broke out of a slump with a home run and three RBIs and the San Diego Padres quieted the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Saturday night.

Lamet (6-4) struck out five and walked three, giving up just a single to Josh Bell in the fourth to win his third consecutive start. He also picked up his first major league hit, a flare to right field off Gerrit Cole (9-8) in the sixth. Brad Hand worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

Myers ended an 0-for-16 slide by doubling home Cory Spangenberg in the third to give San Diego the lead. He then hit a two-run shot to center in the fifth off Cole for his 21st home run of the season. Dusty Coleman went 3 for 4 for the Padres, including his third homer.

Josh Harrison hit a solo home run in the seventh and Adam Frazier added an RBI single but couldn’t stop the Pirates from falling 5 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago in the NL Central.

Pittsburgh’s attempts to keep pace in the division have been hit with a series of problems, namely a penchant for struggling against losing teams. The Pirates are now 3-7 in their last 10 games, all against teams at least 10 games under .500.

Lamet kept Pittsburgh off balance in a victory in San Diego last Saturday. A week later he was even more effective. Pounding the bottom of the strike zone relentlessly, Lamet kept the ball on the ground and out of harm’s way. Only two Pirates managed to get the ball out of the infield against Lamet, Bell’s single and flyout to center by Starling Marte in the sixth.

By then the Padres were already in command. Cole came in 4-1 with a 1.47 ERA in five career starts against San Diego but lacked the efficiency that keyed his 6-1 surge since June 13. Cole never retired San Diego in order during his six innings of work, giving up three runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out five while needing 102 pitches to get 18 outs.

Lamet’s left after consecutive two out walks in the sixth but reliever Phil Maton got Bell to fly out to right to end the threat. Pittsburgh drew within 3-2 in the seventh, but third base coach Joey Cora opted to hold David Freese at third on Frazier’s run-scoring single to left rather than test Spangenberg’s arm.

Craig Stammen came on to face Andrew McCutchen, who popped out to first base to end the threat.

When Coleman ripped a pitch from Daniel Hudson over the wall in center for a two-run homer, San Diego’s three-run cushion was restored.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: C Hector Sanchez took a foul ball off the mask in the bottom of the third. Sanchez was tended to by trainers and finished the inning before being pulled and replaced by Luis Torrens. … X-rays on OF Matt Szczur’s right forearm were negative a day after Pirates reliever Juan Nicasio hit him with a pitch in the eighth inning of a 10-6 Pittsburgh victory.

Pirates: Cervelli was struck in the hand by Yangervis Solarte’s bat in the seventh. The catcher was checked out by trainer Todd Tomczyk but stayed in.

UP NEXT

Padres: Clayton Richard (5-12, 5.40 ERA), winless since June 13, takes the hill in the series finale. Richard allowed four runs in six innings in a loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday.

Pirates: Jameson Taillon (6-5, 4.74) will to snap a two-game losing streak. Taillon has allowed 17 earned runs in his last 6 2/3 innings.