Pirates outlast Giants in 11

Miguel Yajure pitched well enough to earn the win. Luis Oviedo actually earned it. And the Pirates offense did just enough to cobble together the runs necessary in extras to beat the Giants, 32, in 11 innings on Friday at PNC Park.

Down 1-0 and 2-1, the Pirates started their game-winning rally in the 11th with an Adam Frazier triple off the Clemente Wall, scoring Michael Perez from second base. It was the fourth hit of the night for the Pirates second baseman, who’s now hitting .315 on the season.

After Kevin Newman popped out, the Giants intentionally walked Bryan Reynolds and Will Craig to get to Gregory Polanco. The Pirates right fielder brought the run home with a wellstruck fly ball to center field, cementing the walk-off win with a sacrifice fly.

It was the first win of Oviedo’s career, after the rookie was put in a pretty big spot by manager Derek Shelton. In the 11th, Austin Slater connected with a fastball up in the zone to score shortstop Brandon Crawford, giving San Francisco a 2-1 lead.

After walking pinch-hitter Darin Ruf, Oviedo did an excellent job settling down to record a pair of groundouts, escaping further damage.

To reach extra innings, the Pirates needed another rally, this started by a Frazier single to left field. Newman followed with a single to center, putting runners at the corners with no one out.

Reynolds followed with a single to right field off reliever Jake McGee, which created a 1-1 tie. The Pirates had a chance to add to their lead with Newman on second, but Craig, Polanco and Erik Gonzalez each struck out swinging.

The only other run of the game until that point came on a solo home run by Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford against Duane Underwood Jr., who has now been scored upon in four of his past six appearances.

In the eighth, Underwood Jr. fell behind in the count, 3-1, and missed with a change-up up in the zone. Crawford drove it over the fence in right field.

Until the ninth inning, the most impressive thing to come out of this game was easily the work of Miguel Yajure, the 23-year-old right-hander the Pirates acquired in the Jameson Taillon trade.