Bailey Falter stays hot with 7 strong innings as Pirates top Reds 1-0 to end 4-game skid

By: Wes Crosby, The Associated Press Posted: 8:25 PM CDT Tuesday, May. 20, 2025 Last Modified: 9:29 PM CDT Tuesday, May. 20, 2025

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bailey Falter gave up four hits and had five strikeouts through seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a four-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

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Falter (3-3) has surrendered one run in 23 2/3 innings over his past four starts, including none in 16 2/3 in his past three.

David Bednar pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bailey Falter delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Bryan Reynolds lined an RBI single into right to put the Pirates ahead in the sixth. Oneil Cruz walked and stole second for the second time in his first three plate appearances.

Nick Martinez (2-5), who faced two batters over the minimum through the first five innings, limited the damage in the sixth by getting Joey Bart to ground into a double play to end his night with one run allowed on four hits and two walks.

Falter nearly found immediate trouble when TJ Friedl led off the first with a triple off the Clemente Wall in right. Friedl was stranded when Falter forced Santiago Espinal to ground out, struck out Elly De La Cruz and forced Austin Hays to pop up to first.

Espinal later started the fourth with a double to left. Falter responded again, retiring the next three batters capped with a strikeout of Spencer Steer.

Key moment

Reynolds’ sixth-inning single made sure Cruz’s second steal didn’t go to waste after he walked, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch just to be stranded in the first.

Key stat

The Reds had scored 26 runs on a five-game winning streak, averaging 5.2 per game. The Pirates failed to score more than four runs for a 25th straight game.

Up next

Reds RHP Brady Singer (5-2, 5.01 ERA) will take the mound in the series finale Wednesday opposite Pirates LHP Andrew Heaney (2-3, 3.02).

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