Eduardo Rodriguez threw eight scoreless innings, and Gabriel Moreno hit a go-ahead two-run home run to propel the Arizona Diamondbacks to a potentially crucial 3-0 shutout of the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.
Arizona won two of three against Pittsburgh and are tied for second in the National League wild-card race. The Diamondbacks also secured the season tiebreaker against the Pirates, who are one of multiple teams in contention for a postseason berth.
The Pirates went 2-4 over their past six games at home against the Chicago Cubs and Diamondbacks, who are two of those contending teams.
Rodriguez (10-3) continues to pitch well in his first All-Star season, allowing five hits and one walk. Rodriguez struck out only two after throwing 105 pitches, but the left-hander kept Pittsburgh’s potent lineup in check with eight groundball outs, and he did not allow an extra-base hit.
It was Rodriguez’s longest start since May 10 when he pitched 8 1/3 innings against the visiting New York Mets, and only the second time he threw eight or more innings this season.
Diamondbacks starters were sharp throughout the series, not allowing an earned run in a combined 20 2/3 innings.
Pirates starter Jared Jones (2-2) delivered a quality start and retired the first nine batters he faced.
Corbin Carroll broke that up with a double to lead off the fourth inning. Moreno followed one out later by blasting a two-run homer to center for his eighth of the season.
Moreno also scored the Diamondbacks’ third run in the sixth inning after he walked with two outs, moved to third on Ketel Marte’s single and scored when Max Kepler laced a single to right field off Jones.
Jones gave up four hits overall, walked two and struck out five on 77 pitches. Kepler finished with two of the Diamondback’s six hits. Jared Triolo had two hits of the Pirates’ five hits.
Brandyn Garcia picked up his second save for Arizona, after striking out two and working around a walk in the ninth.
The Pirates optioned infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan, left-hander Brandon Eisert and right-hander Isaac Mattson to Triple-A Indianapolis and recalled left-hander Hunter Barco, right-hander Noah Murdock and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia.
