Pirates avoid sweep in Atlanta, but Bryan Reynolds' hit streak ends at 25 games in win

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates kept one streak alive Sunday by avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, with the club’s last series sweep taking place April 29-May 1 vs. Oakland.

But within their 4-2 win at Truist Park, another, more impressive stretch came to an end: Bryan Reynolds’ MLB-best 25-game hitting streak.

Reynolds went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, finishing a lone hit shy of tying the Pirates’ modern era franchise record, shared by Kenny Lofton (2003) and Danny O’Connell (1953).

Jimmy Williams’ 27 straight games with a hit in 1899 is the Pirates’ longest hit streak.

Bailey Falter (4-6, 3.87 ERA) pitched five innings, battling some intense Georgia heat to pick up the win. He allowed a lone run, striking out five while walking four with two hits.

“He grinded,” said Pirates catcher Joey Bart on the Roku Sunday Leadoff postgame show. “Obviously, it’s hot, and the ball’s soaking wet. Playing in Atlanta, it’s going to be like this all summer. … He pulled through for us big-time.”

Bart was activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday and made his first appearance for the Pirates since May 26.

The Braves went up 1-0 in the fourth, with Austin Riley hitting into an RBI double play, scoring Marcell Ozuna, who walked to leadoff the inning and moved to third on a Matt Olson single.

But that was the extent of damage Falter allowed.

The Pirates (40-43) gave him a 4-1 lead in the fifth, thanks to two-run homers by Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez, both of which came when the Roku broadcast team was interviewing pitcher Paul Skenes in the dugout.

Jack Suwinski was hit by Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach, leading to Oneil Cruz’s 12th homer of the year.

Then, Edward Olivares drew a walk and was plated by Tellez’s fourth home run.

“We had big at-bats there,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “The walk in between, Rowdy with the big at-bat. It was nice to see us get on the board there. (The Braves have) good pitching here, and they throw a ton of strikes. We got just enough, but it was good to see those guys take good swings.”

After Falter departed, Kyle Nicolas was effective over two innings in relief, with Carmen Mlodzinski delivering a scoreless eighth.

In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman struggled to pitch a clean frame, allowing two hits and a run, but recovered to earn his third save of the season.

The Pirates narrowly avoided a distressing bottom-of-the-ninth situation when Michael A. Taylor made a diving, run-saving grab on a liner to center field off the bat of Orlando Arcia.

Nick Gonzales went 2 for 4 with a double. Cruz went 2 for 3 with his homer, a walk and two RBIs.