Joey Bart’s eighth-inning two-run home run against his former team put the Atlanta Braves on course for a 3-0 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Bart’s blast to left-center field off Pirates reliever Dennis Santana (2-4) scored Mike Yastrzemski, who hit a two-out double to start the rally. The homer broke a scoreless tie and helped the Braves snap their three-game losing skid and Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak.
Bart, who spent the previous two seasons with the Pirates and played 21 games this season for Pittsburgh, joined the Braves on June 18 after being traded for pitcher Hunter Stratton.
Bart’s eventual game-winner came after the Pirates got a stellar outing from Jared Jones, who exited after six perfect innings.
It was Jones’ longest and best start since returning on May 29 from right UCL surgery. It was the first time he exited a start after not allowing a single baserunner. Jones struck out eight of the 18 batters he faced, and Pittsburgh pitchers recorded 13 strikeouts overall.
Due to a strict pitch count, Jones was lifted after 77 pitches. The Pirates’ bid for a combined perfect game ended when Ozzie Albies roped a one-out single to left field in the seventh off reliever Mason Montgomery.
Atlanta tacked on another run in the ninth on an RBI single by Drake Baldwin off Isaac Mattson. Baldwin’s two-out hit scored Michael Harris II, who had hit a leadoff double.
Braves starter Grant Holmes wasn’t perfect like Jones, but he kept Atlanta even on the scoreboard after throwing five shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out five.
The Braves’ bullpen completed the shutout behind Didier Fuentes, Dylan Dodd (1-0), Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias, who walked Nick Gonzales with two outs in the ninth but then struck out Marcell Ozuna to finish off his 18th save.
Pirates hitters struck out 11 times and were held to four hits, all of which were singles.
