Instant Replay: Pirates 5, Phillies 3

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BOX SCORE

Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez could not hold a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night and the club ended up with a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.
 
The Phils took a 3-2 lead on Freddy Galvis’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Gomez faced three batters and gave up a walk, a double and a three-run homer to Sean Rodriguez in the top of the ninth. It was his fifth blown save in 41 chances.
 
The Phillies made a couple of damaging miscues in the late innings — a wild pitch that scored a run in the seventh and a base running mistake by Aaron Altherr in the bottom of that inning.
 
Phillies hitters struck out 15 times. Over the last seven games, they have racked up 13, 11, 12, 10, 9, 11 and 15 strikeouts, respectively.
 
Starting pitching report
Alec Asher turned in his second strong start. He allowed just two runs over 6 1/3 innings. That followed six shutout innings at Washington in his first start in the majors this season last week.
 
Asher allowed just one run through the first six innings. A pair of walks hurt him in the seventh. He issued two of them with one out and one of them became the eventual tying run.
 
Phillies starting pitchers are on a nice roll. They have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 straight starts.
 
Pittsburgh right-hander Ivan Nova pitched six innings and gave up five hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. He walked one and struck out 11.
 
Bullpen report
Joely Rodriguez pitched out of bases-loaded trouble in the seventh, keeping the game tied at 2-2.
 
Hector Neris struck out two with a runner on second to escape the eighth and keep the score tied at 2-2. He was in line for the win before Gomez’s blown save.
 
The Pirates tied the game in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch by Michael Mariot. Rookie catcher Jorge Alfaro did not help matters. He was unable to block a blockable pitch in the dirt.
 
Pittsburgh lefty Felipe Rivero allowed three base runners and a run in the eighth. After the Pirates bailed out Rivero, Tony Watson came on for the save.
 
At the plate
Ryan Howard figured in the Phillies’ first two runs. He reached on an error by second baseman Adam Frazier in the fourth inning. Frazier was playing in shallow right field. Roman Quinn capitalized on the error and scored from second. In the sixth, Howard beat out a potential inning-ending double-play ball, allowing Cesar Hernandez to score.
 
Frazier drove in the Pirates’ first run. Their second run scored on a wild pitch.
 
Scout’s honor
The Phillies named scout Roy Tanner as winner of the annual Dallas Green Award. Tanner has been scouting for 44 years, 27 with the Phillies.
 
Up next
Jake Thompson (1-5, 6.05) pitches against Pittsburgh lefty Steven Brault (0-2, 3.38) on Wednesday night.

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