PITTSBURGH — Gregory Polanco tripled home the winning run in the eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.
The right fielder lined a two-out triple off reliever Joaquin Benoit (5-4) to score left fielder scored Sean Rodriguez, who hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and snap a 2-2 tie.
It gave the Pirates (49-34) their ninth victory in their last 11 games as they moved with 4 1/2 games of the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. The Padres (39-47) lost their fourth straight game.
Rodriguez was sacrificed to second by catcher Chris Stewart. After pinch hitter Steve Lombardozzi struck out, the .232-hitting Polanco delivered.
Left-handed reliever Tony Watson (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and All-Star closer Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his NL-leading 28th save.
Pittsburgh left-hander Francisco Liriano allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with six strikeouts and a walk. Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen had two hits to increase his hitting streak to a career-best 14 games. McCutchen hit in 13 straight in 2009 as a rookie.
After a rain delay of 1 hour, 42 minutes at the beginning of the third inning, the Padres broke a scoreless tie on right fielder Matt Kemp’s two-run double to center field with two outs in the top of the inning.
Padres right-hander Tyson Ross was pulled after the delay. He worked two scoreless innings.
The Pirates got a run back in the bottom of the third when McCutchen hit an RBI double to make it 2-1.
Kemp and shortstop Clint Barmes had two hits apiece for the Padres, who have been held to two runs or less in seven of their last eight games.
Third baseman Jung Ho Kang tripled in a run in the fifth inning to pull the Pirates into a 2-2 tie. The rookie’s hit came immediately after Padres left fielder Justin Upton reached above the fence to steal a potential two-run home run from McCutchen.
NOTES: Pirates C Francisco Cervelli was a late scratch because of what the team said was a manager’s decision. C Chris Stewart started behind the plate. … Pittsburgh LF Starling Marte missed his second straight game because of a strained left oblique and was again replaced by INF/OF Sean Rodriguez. … Padres 3B Will Middlebrooks made his first start since June 28. He had been limited to two pinch-hitting appearances in the previous eight games because of a sore left ankle. … San Diego C Tim Federowicz is scheduled to catch RHP Brandon Morrow’s simulated game Saturday and then begin a rehab assignment next week at low Class A Fort Wayne. Federowicz has been on the disabled list since the start of the season after tearing the lateral meniscus in his right knee during spring training and undergoing arthroscopic surgery. … The three-game series concludes Wednesday night with Padres RHP Andrew Cashner (3-9, 4.06 ERA) facing Pirates RHP Charlie Morton (6-2, 4.30).
