Pirates avoid sweep in Atlanta, but Bryan Reynolds’ hitting streak ends at 25 games with win

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates kept their streak alive Sunday by avoiding a series sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, the club’s last series sweep coming from April 29-May 1 against Oakland.

But in their 4-2 victory at Truist Park, another more impressive streak came to an end: Bryan Reynolds’ MLB-best 25-game hitting streak.

Reynolds went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, finishing just one hit short of tying the Pirates’ modern-era franchise record, shared by Kenny Lofton (2003) and Danny O’Connell (1953).

Jimmy Williams’ 27 consecutive one-hit games in 1899 is the Pirates’ longest hitting streak.

Bailey Falter (4-6, 3.87 ERA) pitched five innings, battling the intense Georgia heat to earn the victory. He allowed just one run, striking out five while walking four with two hits.

“He worked,” Pirates catcher Joey Bart said on the Roku Sunday Leadoff postgame show. “Obviously, it’s hot and the ball is soaked. Playing in Atlanta, it’s going to be like that all summer. … He came through for us.”

Bart was activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday and made his first appearance for the Pirates since May 26.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, with Austin Riley hitting into an RBI double play, scoring Marcell Ozuna, who walked to lead off the inning and moved to third on a single by Matt Olson.

But that’s the extent of the damage Falter allowed.

The Pirates (40-43) gave him a 4-1 lead in the fifth, thanks to two-run homers by Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez, both of which came while the Roku broadcast team was interviewing the pitcher Paul Skenes in the dugout.

Jack Suwinski was hit by Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach, leading to Oneil Cruz’s 12th homer of the year.

Then Edward Olivares drew a walk and was plated by Tellez’s fourth home run.

“We had some good at-bats then,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “The walk between the two, Rowdy with the good at-bat. It was good to see us get a point. (The Braves have) good pitchers here, and they throw a lot of strikes. We had just enough, but it was good to see these guys take some good shots. »

After Falter’s departure, Kyle Nicolas was effective for two innings in relief, with Carmen Mlodzinski delivering a scoreless eighth.

In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman struggled to pitch a clean frame, allowing two hits and a run, but recovered to earn his third save of the season.

The Pirates narrowly avoided a nasty situation in the bottom of the ninth when Michael A. Taylor made a run-saving diving liner to center field off the bat of Orlando Arcia.

Nick Gonzales went 2 for 4 with a double. Cruz went 2 for 3 with a home run, a walk and two RBIs.