Braxton Ashcraft excels on mound again to lead Pirates past Tigers

Braxton Ashcraft gave up one run over eight innings and Oneil Cruz homered in his return to the Pirates' lineup to help host Pittsburgh secure a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

Ashcraft (13-5) struck out four, did not issue a walk and gave up five hits on an efficient 80 pitches to help the Pirates lock up a needed win. Ashcraft's gem followed his complete-game masterpiece last Thursday against the Marlins, in which he also allowed one run. Ashcraft became the first Pirates pitcher since A.J. Burnett in 2012 to follow a complete game with an eight-inning start.

The only blemish on Ashcraft's start came in the fifth inning when rookie Brett Callahan hit his first major league home run -- a 393-foot solo blast to right field -- to break a scoreless stalemate. Callahan had two of the Tigers' five hits.

Neither side had a hit or even a baserunner until Kevin McGonigle, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, and Colt Keith mustered back-to-back singles with one out. But Eduardo Valencia grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Playing in his first game since June 7, Cruz delivered the Pirates' first hit with a bang when he belted a two-run home run -- his 15th this season -- to center field off Tigers starter Keider Montero (9-8) to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-1. Cruz was activated from the injured list on Monday after missing over two months due to fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures in his left hand.

Montero retired the first 12 Pirates he faced and threw 41 pitches through four innings. He threw 37 pitches during Pittsburgh's three-run fifth.

Montero allowed three runs on four hits and one walk, striking out three over five innings.

After Cruz left the yard, Jake Mangum's bunt single and a ground-rule double by Rafael Flores Jr. put runners on second and third. Mangum was thrown out at home -- a ruling that was upheld after review after he didn't touch home plate -- on a ground ball by Jared Triolo. But Spencer Horwitz drove in Flores with an RBI single to push the Pirates' lead to 3-1.

Bryan Reynolds added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out RBI single to score Triolo. Mason Montgomery pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his fifth save.

--Field Level Media