Bucs’ big bats fuel doubleheader sweep

CINCINNATI — Sean Rodriguez helped the Pirates slug their way back to .500 on Saturday, sweeping the Reds in a doubleheader at Great American Ball Park. After cruising to victory in Game 1, the Bucs built up an early lead and trusted their bullpen to lock down a 7-3 win in Game 2 on Saturday night.

With the win, the Pirates moved within 4 1/2 games of the National League’s second Wild Card, pending the result of the Mets’ game against the Twins. Pittsburgh’s postseason hopes have nearly evaporated with 14 games remaining, but they are still mathematically alive after stringing together four straight wins.

The Pirates’ lineup picked up Saturday night where it left off in their 10-4 win in the afternoon. The Bucs sent nine men to the plate twice in one day, in the four-run first inning of Game 1 and again in the four-run second inning of Game 2. Rodriguez homered in both games, becoming the first Pirate since Pedro Alvarez in April 2012 to go deep in both halves of a doubleheader. Rodriguez crushed a solo shot, his fourth of the week, a Statcast-projected 428 feet into the second deck in left field.

Pirates rookie Trevor Williams, making his first Major League start, breezed through the minimum 12 …

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