Andrew Heaney, bullpen sharp as Pirates beat Reds to win series

An unfortunate streak for the Pittsburgh Pirates refuses to die.

Not in 26 games, dating to April 22, has the team managed to score more than four runs, making it the longest such stretch in franchise history.

Far more often than not over the past month, the result of such measly offensive production has been a loss.

However, the Pirates didn’t need four runs in Wednesday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds, earning a 3-1 win in front of 17,308 at PNC Park.

Andrew Heaney (3-3, 2.91 ERA) lasted five innings, allowing one run on three hits while picking up the win. Chase Shugart, Tanner Rainey, Caleb Ferguson and Dennis Santana combined to toss four scoreless innings in relief.

Catcher Henry Davis had a big game in the batter’s box (2 for 2 with a walk and RBI), as well as behind the plate, throwing out a runner in the seventh and applying a successful tag at home to nab a runner in the sixth.

For Davis, Wednesday’s win could serve as a building block for the Pirates (17-33), whose rotation had posted an MLB-best ERA of 2.13 over the past two weeks.

“We’re aware of it, and we’re doing everything we can every day to make it end,” Davis said of the ongoing offensive struggles. “I think, most importantly, wins come first. … The more we score, the more we take stress off the pitchers, we take stress off the outings. We don’t want starters out there feeling like if they go six innings and (give up) three earned (runs) that they didn’t do their job. They did.

“We have a chance to win every time they’re out there. So, as an offense, just continuing to push to make sure we give them cushion, continue to have better at-bats and come through in those moments.”

In the bottom of the first, Oneil Cruz led off with a single off Reds starter Brady Singer and advanced to third when Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a double into the right-field corner.

That set up Bryan Reynolds, who drove in Cruz and advanced Kiner-Falefa with a sacrifice fly, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

In the third, Cincinnati tied the score 1-1 when Austin Hays drove in Santiago Espinal with a hit. Espinal singled with two outs, advancing to second when Heaney walked Elly De La Cruz.

The Pirates put runners on the corners with no outs in the fourth, as Ke’Bryan Hayes walked and moved up two bases when Adam Frazier singled.

Davis then made it 2-1 Pirates with an RBI single before Cruz lined out and Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the inning.

One run was all the Reds could get off Heaney, who threw 64 of his 97 pitches for strikes, walking two with four strikeouts over five innings.

“It was kind of a grindy one from the get,” Heaney said of his outing. “Just trying to give us innings and keep us in it.”

In the sixth, Shugart took over, delivering a scoreless frame.

After he got two outs, Spencer Steer walked, and Tyler Stephenson ripped a double into the left-field corner. Steer was waved home, but Tommy Pham made a strong throw from the outfield to Kiner-Falefa, the cutoff man, who threw out Steer at the plate.

Davis, before receiving the throw, faked out Steer to try to disrupt the timing of his slide.

“I knew it was going to be a close play, and anytime you can get a half step or get the runner to pull up, you’ve got a better chance to get him out,” Davis said of the play.

Rainey came on in the seventh and recorded two outs before giving way to Caleb Ferguson, who went 1 1/3 innings.

Ferguson’s appearance in the seventh lasted all of three pitches before Davis ended things by throwing out Will Benson trying to steal second base.

In the eighth, the Pirates added an insurance run, with Frazier bringing home Hayes, who doubled off Graham Ashcraft.

Santana then came on for the ninth and retired the Reds in order, notching his fifth save of the year.

Frazier (2 for 4, RBI), Pham (2 for 4) and Davis, the Pirates’ Nos. 7-9 hitters, went a combined 6 for 10.

“Coming back after that tough game on Monday night and the way that we played the last two nights, obviously, we talked about the starting pitching is key to that,” said manager Don Kelly. “But finding ways to scratch out runs. … today, being able to push three across with some big hits, (we) want to keep that going.”