ATLANTA — Kevin Newman drove in the tiebreaking run in the 10th inning, Adam Frazier went 4 for 5, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Thursday night.
Designated runner Ben Gamel advanced to third on Frazier’s single and scored on Newman’s single to center field. With the bases loaded and one out against Jacob Webb (1-2), Gregory Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly to add an insurance run.
The Braves have lost seven of 10 to drop into fourth place in the NL East after winning the division the last three years.
Richard Rodríguez (3-0) earned the win after facing the minimum in the ninth and 10th.
Atlanta led 3-2 in the second when Austin Riley walked, Dansby Swanson singled and William Contreras hit his fourth homer.
Bryan Reynolds hit his fourth homer to make it 3-all off Drew Smyly in the sixth, but Swanson, who went 3 for 4, took Wil Crowe deep to put Atlanta up 4-3 with his sixth homer in the bottom half of the inning.
Frazier’s RBI single made it 4-all in the seventh.
Smyly gave up three runs and six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in six innings. He stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout of Ben Gamel in the third.
Smyly, signed to an $11 million, one-year contract, went 0-2 with an 8.05 ERA in four April starts. He has allowed five runs — four earned — in his last 18 innings.
Crowe gave up four runs and seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in five-plus innings.
Pittsburgh, last in the NL Central, snapped a three-game skid. The Pirates led 2-0 in the first when Adam Frazier doubled and Jacob Stallings hit his fourth homer.
Smyly singled for his first career hit, snapping an 0-for-33 span, in the fourth. A walk to Ronald Acuña Jr. loaded the bases, but Crowe struck out Freddie Freeman to end the threat.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Manager Derek Shelton had no update on RHP Trevor Cahill, who left Wednesday’s start at St. Louis in the second inning with a left calf injury. … RHP Chad Kuhl (right shoulder discomfort) allowed one hit and one walk with five strikeouts as he threw 42 pitches in three innings Wednesday in his first rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis. … RHP Jose Soriano (elbow), recovering from Tommy John surgery, allowed no runs and one hit in three innings of a rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton.
Braves: Manager Brian Snitker said there was no reason to worry that LHP Max Fried left his last start with cramping in his left hand. Fried departed after allowing one run and five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in six innings Monday of a 3-1 loss to the New York Mets. “No, that was just an isolated thing,” Snitker said. “I don’t know, maybe he was dehydrated that particular day, but he’s been throwing and hitting. He’s fine.”
KEEP RISING
Frazier increased his NL lead in hits to 58. Frazier has hit .386 in 83 at-bats with eight doubles in his last 20 games since April 28.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Ian Anderson (3-1, 3.20 ERA) faces Pirates LHP Tyler Anderson (3-3, 3.50 ERA) as the teams play the second of a four-game series. Both will be making their ninth start. Ian Anderson has never faced Pittsburgh. Tyler Anderson will make his third career start against Atlanta.
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