Luis Ortiz, Bryan Reynolds help Pirates beat White Sox, record 3rd victory in row

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton wisely loaded up his lineup with left-handed hitters Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field, knowing Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Flexen struggles against those who bat from that side.

But analytics don’t always turn out as expected. That .945 OPS that Flexen has allowed to left-handers this season didn’t translate to a wealth of Pirates offense.

So the Pirates leaned on their best weapons — starting pitching and two-time All-Star Bryan Reynolds — to help record a 6-2 victory and win three in a row for the first time since May 4-6. The Pirates (47-48) are within one game of .500 for the first time since April 28.

“They’re grinding,” Shelton said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “We’re playing good baseball right now. We need to finish the first half strong (Sunday against the White Sox).”

Luis Ortiz worked the first 5 2/3 innings against MLB’s least successful team (27-60), striking out five and allowing only four hits and a walk. The walk was his first this season as a starter.

Even better, he got the last two outs of the fourth and fifth innings by recording strikeouts with a runner in scoring position. In his three starts this season (17 2/3 innings), Ortiz has surrendered only two runs and 12 hits, with 17 strikeouts.

Shelton said he is pleased with Ortiz’s seamless transition from the bullpen at the start of the season to the rotation at the All-Star break, a move that was boosted by adding a slider to his fastball/slider/cutter arsenal.

“He’s a guy we knew had started before,” the manager said. “I think our pitching group has done a really good job transitioning him in. He continues to throw strikes. That’s the most important thing. The stuff plays. He just has to challenge people with it.”

Ortiz needed 24 pitches to survive the first inning, but he settled down and was effective through the remainder of his outing after speaking to pitching coach Oscar Marin.

“He lost his delivery a little bit,” Shelton said. “Oscar made an adjustment. We’ve seen it happen with him in a couple starts where it happens in a pitch or two. He got sped up. (Marin) had a good conversation with him, slowed him down and we saw the results after that.”

Ortiz said through translator Stephen Morales that his success Saturday can be traced to “mental toughness.”

“Just staying calm, in control and trust my stuff. That was the most important thing,” he said. “Be there in the moment with my mind.”

While Ortiz kept the White Sox hitters largely in check, the Pirates’ left-handed hitters failed to take full advantage of Flexen’s previous struggles, producing only Reynolds’ two singles in 14 at-bats over six innings.

Oneil Cruz drove in the first run of the game with a forceout ground ball in the first inning after Andrew McCutchen doubled and Reynolds singled. McCutchen’s double moved him into fifth place past Pie Traynor on the Pirates’ all-time extra-base list with 593.

The score was tied 1-1 through six innings, but the Pirates grabbed a 3-1 lead in the seventh — only after Flexen left the game.

Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the inning by reaching on an error by shortstop Nicky Lopez. At that point, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol replaced Flexen with left-hander Tanner Banks. Pinch-hitter Connor Joe was hit by a pitch, and Yasmani Grandal struck out trying to bunt, but McCutchen dribbled a single off Banks’ glove before Reynolds ripped a two-run single. This time, he was batting right-handed.

Reynolds finished with four hits and four RBIs after another two-run single in the ninth. Reynolds will take at least 60 RBIs into the All-Star break.

Cruz drove in two runs, adding a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

“When those (RBI) situations arise,” Reynolds said, “I don’t think you lock in any extra because you’re always locked in. Just try to take an extra breath and just try to get it done. It worked out.”

Added Shelton: “That’s what All-Star players do.”

McCutchen, the Pirates’ designated hitter, was caught trying to steal third base in the seventh and subsequently left the game with left hamstring discomfort.

The White Sox scored one run in the eighth against relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Tommy Pham tripled and scored on Eloy Jimenez’s ground-ball out. Kyle Nicolas, who worked 1 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings while replacing Ortiz in the sixth, received credit for the victory, his first in the big leagues.

“Just have to finish it (Sunday) and be happy,” Reynolds said. “We’ve just been doing what we need to do — pitch the ball, hit the ball, play defense. When we do all those things, things click pretty well for us.”