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’ 25-game hitting streak, the best in MLB.

Reynolds went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, finishing just one hit shy 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 win. 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 on Sunday and made his first appearance for the Pirates since May 26.

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

But that was the extent of the damage Falter had allowed.

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

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

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

“We had some big at-bats out there,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “The walk in between, Rowdy with the big at-bat. It was nice to see us get on the board there. (The Braves have) good pitching out here, and they throw a ton of strikes. We just got enough of that, but it was good to see those guys take some good at-bats.”

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

In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman struggled to throw 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 inning when Michael A. Taylor dove and saved the run on a ball pulled to center field off the bat of Orlando Arcia.

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