Pirates end scoreless streak, still lose at Kansas City for 4th straight defeat

The Pittsburgh Pirates averaged more than seven runs during their recent streak of six consecutive victories, only to be swept in Seattle via three shutouts in a row.

That marked an inauspicious beginning to a nine-game road trip, with the Pirates arriving in Kansas City on Monday looking to begin a new series by reestablishing some offensive rhythm.

While the Pirates ended their three-game scoreless streak, the overall offensive output was not nearly enough in a 9-3 defeat to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Andrew Heaney (4-8, 4.41 ERA) lasted a season-low three innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out a pair with one walk and a hit batter.

He threw 49 of his 76 pitches for strikes, taking the loss.

A third-inning homer by Tommy Pham provided the Pirates with the majority of their offense. They were limited to four hits.

“Coming off the homestand, winning six in a row and now going through a little bit of a lull, (we need to) just continue that same mindset that we’ve had throughout the season of competing every pitch, going out there and working hard to get better every day and find a way to help us win,” manager Don Kelly said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show.

“I think as you go through a season, these times do get frustrating, especially with the offense not clicking.”

Royals starter Noah Cameron (3-4) was effective over seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out seven.

Chase Shugart entered the game after Heaney but was unable to prevent the Royals from busting things open as he allowed four runs, including two homers, over 2⅓ innings.

The Pirates were held hitless after a Bryan Reynolds single in the fourth inning until Alexander Canario managed a two-out RBI single off the glove of second baseman Tyler Tolbert in the ninth.

Heaney allowed a two-out solo homer to Vinnie Pasquantino to give Kansas City an early 1-0 lead in the first.

Pham then made it 2-1 Pirates in the third, lifting a two-run shot to center field off Cameron, scoring Henry Davis, who singled.

Pham’s homer was his third of the year, all of which have come over the 10 games since June 23.

For the Pirates (38-54), it produced their first runs since the seventh inning Wednesday vs. St. Louis, ending a frustrating 30-inning scoreless streak.

The Royals tied the game in the bottom of the third, however, courtesy of an RBI single from Maikel Garcia, plating Jonathan India, who led off with a single.

After Bobby Witt Jr. followed India with a single, Garcia’s base hit put men on first and second with one out for Salvador Perez.

Perez connected on a 0-1 changeup from Heaney for an RBI double off the left-center field wall, scoring Witt to put Kansas City ahead 3-2.

Then, Heaney plunked Jac Caglianone to load the bases, still with one out.

Mark Canha hit a routine grounder to Nick Gonzales at second base, but the Pirates were unable to turn the 4-6-3 double play, with Canha beating shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s throw to first.

As a result, Garcia scored and the Royals took a 4-2 lead.

“Just a lot of hard contact,” Heaney said of his outing. “Yeah, just not a great one.”

Heaney’s relief, Shugart, took over for the fourth and allowed a two-run homer to Witt, which scored India, who doubled, and created a 6-2 deficit for the Pirates.

Shugart stayed on in the fifth, with Perez quickly making it 7-2 by hitting a leadoff home run that traveled an estimated 411 feet into the left-center field stands.

In the sixth, Kyle Isbel led off with a triple against Shugart and came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Witt as Kansas City took an 8-2 lead.

The Royals went up 9-2 with Genesis Cabrera on the hill in the eighth as Nick Loftin hit his club’s fourth homer of the evening, a 409-foot solo shot.

Canario made it 9-3 in the ninth with an RBI single to score Gonzales, who walked.

“There was a lot of energy when the offense was clicking at home and things were going really well,” Kelly said. “Now, we need to find a way to pick that up.”