Reds score winning run in 7th to top Pirates

Braxton Ashcraft, despite being utilized primarily out of the bullpen during his rookie campaign this year, still believes his long-term future in the big leagues is as a starter.

Organizationally, the Pittsburgh Pirates concur with the 25-year-old, but for now, Ashcraft will continue to be a relief option for manager Don Kelly.

That said, Ashcraft’s history as a starter offers versatility, which Kelly took advantage of by giving him the ball to begin Saturday’s contest at PNC Park vs. the Cincinnati Reds.

Ashcraft was effective, pitching a career-high 3 1/3 innings, but it was a quiet night at the plate for the Pirates, who fell 2-1 to the Reds in front of a crowd of 30,274.

“He did a nice job,” Kelly said of Ashcraft. “First inning, kind of spread it a little bit — fastball command wasn’t there. But he was able to slow it down, dial it back in and the slider was really effective for him.”

An RBI flyout in the seventh by TJ Friedl off Ryan Borucki was the difference as Cincinnati set up a chance to split the four-game series Sunday.

Ashcraft (3.19 ERA) struck out a career-high five, walking one with three hits and allowing a run. He took a no-decision.

The Pirates (51-67) struck first in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a leadoff double by Jared Triolo.

After Spencer Horwitz followed with a single, moving Triolo to third, Tommy Pham made it 1-0 with a sacrifice fly.

But that was the extent of offense managed by the Pirates, who finished with four hits against Reds starter Nick Martinez (10-9, 4.49 ERA), Saturday’s winning pitcher.

Martinez was effective over seven innings, allowing one run with two walks and four strikeouts.

After he exited, Cincinnati relievers Tony Santillan and Emilio Pagan shut the door in the eighth and ninth, allowing zero combined hits.

“Kitchen sink,” Kelly said of Martinez. “Ran the pitch count up early, and then he settled into a rhythm. Those middle-to-later innings he was in there — really pitched effectively.”

With one out in the top of the fourth, after allowing a single to Spencer Steer, Kelly opted to end Ashcraft’s night in favor of Carmen Mlodzinski.

Mlodzinski struck out Tyler Stephenson, but Noelvi Marte sent a double down the third-base line that traveled all the way to the left-field wall, allowing Steer to score from first and tie the score.

The run was charged to Ashcraft, who threw 37 of his career-high 56 pitches for strikes.

“Today, I felt really, really, really good,” Ashcraft said. “I haven’t felt this good, body-wise, in a long time. It feels good to feel good, especially in August.”

Mlodzinski stayed on and delivered a clean fifth, but in the sixth, Miguel Andujar led off with a double.

He took third on a Gavin Lux groundout, but Mlodzinski was able to prevent him from scoring, starting with a strikeout of Steer.

Triolo then made a solid play at third base, charging a soft grounder up the line by Stephenson and throwing him out to end the frame.

In the seventh, Mlodzinski ran into trouble again, surrendering another leadoff double, this time to Marte, and was removed in favor of Borucki soon thereafter.

After Ke’Bryan Hayes moved Marte up a bag, Bryan Reynolds in right field made a stellar diving grab to rob Friedl, but it wasn’t enough to stop Marte from tagging up and handing Cincinnati a 2-1 lead.

Mlodzinski (2-7, 4.07 ERA), responsible for Marte, was charged with the run.

He pitched three innings, striking out three on three hits with a walk and taking the loss.

The Pirates were not without their opportunities at the plate late.

Horwitz, before flying out to center field, narrowly missed hitting a tying solo shot in the eighth, which hooked just foul into the Clemente Wall stands.

In the ninth, the Pirates aimed to rally or walk things off against Pagan.

Oneil Cruz led off with a walk but was doubled off at first base when Nick Gonzales lined out to shortstop Elly De La Cruz for a game-ending double play.

Kelly said after the game that Cruz had the green light to steal, but Pagan’s delivery made things difficult.

“(Cruz) was looking to go there,” Kelly said. “There were a couple of times where he was breaking off, with the slide step, that’s almost impossible to steal there.”