Pirates 3 – White Sox 2: By the Numbers

PIRATES 3 – WHITE SOX 2

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Pittsburgh Pirates(39-27)  extended their winning streak to eight games.
• The Pirates enter Friday with the third best record in the Major League and fourth best run differential (+61).
• With a Cardinals loss Thursday night, the Pirates moved within four games of first place
• According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates have won six straight games while scoring three runs or less in each game for the first time in franchise history.

Making his 1st career start vs the White Sox, Gerrit Cole picked up his MLB-best 11th win of the season. Cole allowed 3 hits and 2 runs over seven innings and appeared to be heading to a no decision until Gregory Polanco’s RBI groundout in the eighth, scoring Jung Ho Kang put the Pirates in the lead 3-2. Cole has won each of his last six starts.

Mark Melancon continued his dominant stretch, picking up his 21st save in a row. All-Star Bound

Josh Harrison went 2-4 with an RBI in the Pirates win. Harrison’s sacrifice fly in the fifth put the Pirates ahead 2-1. Harrison extended his hitting streak to eight games and is 19-42 (.442) over his last 10 games.

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Starling Marte went 2-5 with a run scored vs the White Sox Thursday night. It was Marte’s sixth multi-hit game over his last seven games, going 17-for-34 during that span.

Jung Ho Kang went 2-5 with an RBI and scored the game winning run on Gregory Polanco’s RBI groundout in the eighth. Kang has 5 RBIs in his last four games .

Pedro Alvarez went 2-4, posting his multi-hit game since June 2. Alvarez single to right center in the eighth moved Kang to third, providing a key at-bat just prior to the Pirates taking a 3-2 lead.

Corey Hart getting rare playing time as a DH, went 3-3 in the Pirates 3-2 win over the White Sox on Thursday night. It was Hart’s first three-hit game since August 31, 2012, a span of over 320 at-bats. Unfortunately for Hart it’s back to the bench for him as the Pirates return to NL play.