Bassitt impressive as Blue Jays end skid, top Pirates 4-0
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Bassitt allowed four hits over seven innings, George Springer hit his fourth home run of the season and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Friday night.
Bassitt (4-2) struck out five and walked four as Toronto ended a five-game losing streak. Bassitt had little trouble with the suddenly skidding Pirates, who have dropped five straight. The right-hander, who signed a three-year deal with Toronto in the offseason, won for the third time in four starts.
George Springer hit a two-run shot off Rich Hill (3-3) in the fifth inning for Toronto. Whit Merrifield added two hits for the Blue Jays, who bounced back from a rough visit to Boston in which they gave up 32 runs in a four-game sweep by jumping on Pittsburgh early and riding Bassitt and two relievers the rest of the way.
The surprising Pirates began the day in first place in the NL Central, but have cooled off of late. They were swept during a three-game visit to scorching hot Tampa Bay and their offense may be starting to be feeling the long-term effects of missing injured shortstop Oneil Cruz (fractured left leg) and designated hitter/first baseman Ji Man Choi (strained left Achilles).
