Marcell Ozuna drives in 3, Charlie Morton holds former team to 3 hits as Braves beat Pirates 6-1

ATLANTA (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in Atlanta’s five-run third inning, Charlie Morton allowed just three hits in Pittsburgh, his former home, and the Braves beat the Pirates 6-1 on Friday night.

Austin Riley hit his ninth homer, including six in the last 14 games. The Braves scored six runs in four innings against Martín Pérez (1-4) in the left-hander’s return from the disabled list. Pérez had been out since May 27 with a strained left groin.

The Pirates’ lone highlight came in the eighth when Bryan Reynolds hit a single up the middle off Jesse Chavez, extending his hitting streak to 24 games, the longest in the majors this season. It was the longest streak by a Pittsburgh hitter since 2003.

Morton (5-4) was dominant in his second career start against Pittsburgh, where he pitched from 2009-15. The 40-year-old right-hander threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Morton hit Reynolds with a pitch in the first and walked Nick Gonzales in the second. He retired 10 straight batters before Ke’Bryan Hayes’ single up the middle with one out in the fifth for the Pirates’ first hit. Andrew McCutchen opened the sixth with an infield single and Gonzales doubled to open the seventh.

The Pirates avoided a shutout when Hayes’ two-out double off Aaron Bummer in the ninth inning scored Connor Joe, who doubled as a pinch hitter.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Pirates: Rookie right-handed pitcher Jared Jones had his normal turn in the rotation canceled. Jones logged 86 innings after pitching a career-high 126 1/3 in the minor leagues last season. “We came into the season knowing from the beginning that we were going to have to watch his innings,” manager Derek Shelton said. … IF Jake Lamb signed as a minor league free agent and was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Braves: Outfielder Ramón Laureano sat out for a second straight game because of lower back pain after throwing a pitch in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader at St. Louis. Manager Brian Snitker said he hoped Laureano would be available off the bench. … Left-handed pitcher AJ Minter (left hip inflammation) is scheduled to pitch Sunday at Triple-A Gwinnett in what could be his final rehab appearance since going on the injured list May 30.

FOLLOWING

Pittsburgh’s standout rookie RHP Paul Skenes (4-0, 2.14 ERA) will face Braves LHP Max Fried (7-3, 3.00) on Saturday. “He’s pretty special,” Snitker said of Skenes, who has allowed just one earned run in five of his eight starts. “Even though it’s going to be tough, it’s pretty cool to see a young talent like that in person.”

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