Marte hits 3 doubles and Martinez pitches Reds past Pirates 2-1 to stop 3-game skid

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched seven sharp innings and Noelvi Marte doubled three times as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Saturday night to snap a three-game slide.

Marte drove in one run and scored another. Martinez (10-9) permitted a run on four hits and two walks while striking out four.

Emilio Pagán earned his 25th save. He gave up a leadoff walk in the ninth but shortstop Elly De La Cruz converted a line drive into a game-ending double play.

Marte knocked in Spencer Steer from first base with a double in the fourth to tie it 1-all. Marte doubled again in the seventh and scored on TJ Friedl's sacrifice fly. He added his third double in the ninth to set a career high.

Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the third when Jared Triolo doubled and scored on Tommy Pham's sacrifice fly.

Spencer Horwitz had two of the Pirates' four hits.

Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7), the second of five pitchers in a bullpen game, took the loss.

Marte's first double was just fair and it rolled into the left-field corner before Pham could corral the ball, enabling Steer to score from first.

The Reds have scored two runs or fewer in 40 games this season, including each of their last four.

The four-game series concludes Sunday with Reds RHP Zack Littell (9-8, 3.46 ERA) pitching against RHP Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.45).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb