Nick Gonzales' 12th-inning RBI single sends Pirates past Padres 3-2

Audio By Carbonatix

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Gonzales led off the 12th inning with an RBI single and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped their three-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

Esmerlyn Valdez homered and Rafael Flores Jr. had an RBI double in the sixth for the Pirates, who rebounded from getting swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend with just their 11th win in 31 games.

Jake Cronenworth tied it in the eighth with a two-out RBI single for the Padres, whose three-game winning streak ended with only their eighth loss in 29 games. San Diego’s eight-game home winning streak also ended.

San Diego loaded the bases with one out in the 11th, but Kirby Yates (2-5) struck out Jackson Merrill and got Xander Bogaerts to line out. Merrill went 0 for 5 on his bobblehead night, striking out on three pitches with the bases loaded in both the eighth and 11th, and also failed to make a diving catch on Flores' RBI double.

After Jared Triolo scored on Gonzales’ single off Jeremiah Estrada (2-3), Yohan Ramirez struck out the side in the 12th to earn his second save.

Braxton Ashcraft pitched six strong innings of four-hit ball for Pittsburgh. He has allowed just three runs over 23 innings in his last three starts.

Robbie Ray dueled Ashcraft through five scoreless innings before Valdez led off the sixth with a 414-foot shot to center field. Ray allowed five hits and struck out five in his fourth start for the Padres.

Freddy Fermin doubled later in the sixth and eventually scored on Ashcraft's balk.

Padres closer Mason Miller allowed two baserunners and barely escaped a ninth-inning jam while facing his hometown team on his 28th birthday.

Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.95 ERA) returns from another rocky outing on normal rest for the Pirates on Tuesday. Michael King (8-9, 3.38 ERA) makes his team-leading 27th start for the Padres.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB