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Reds can’t solve Nova, drop 5th straight
- Updated: September 9, 2016
PITTSBURGH — The Pirates no longer needed a stopper-type performance from Ivan Nova after they ended their eight-game losing streak on Wednesday. They needed to start the makings of a roll and build momentum to improve their fading postseason hopes. In either function, Nova was the right guy for the job. Nova went the distance again and remained unbeaten for his new club as the Pirates notched a 4-1 victory over the Reds on Thursday for back-to-back wins.
Pittsburgh inched back to a .500 record at 69-69 and four games behind St. Louis for the second National League Wild Card spot. Sending nine men to the plate in the bottom of the first inning with five hits vs. Dan Straily, the Bucs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead. The big blow was Jung-Ho Kang’s two-run double to the wall in left-center field, and Francisco Cervelli added an RBI single to center field.
That was enough room for Nova, who retired the first 12 …
