Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle insists he hasn't been keeping close tabs of his team's slide following a hot start. He wasn't aware the Pirates had dropped eight straight series until someone mentioned it to him earlier in the week.
"If somebody would have told me you're going to lose eight series Tyler Eifert Jersey , you'd think you're going to be horrible," Hurdle said. "We're not horrible. We're fighting. And we believe that our best baseball is in front of us."
It is, at least when the Pirates play the struggling Cincinnati Reds. Josh Harrison hit a two-run homer, Colin Moran and Elias Diaz added solo shots and the Pirates pulled away for a 6-2 victory on Saturday to push their modest winning streak to three and assuring themselves of their first positive series since taking a two-game set from the Chicago White Sox a month ago.
"We know what's happened here the past couple weeks," Harrison said. "Guys are still plugging away and coming ready to show up every day and we've had three in a row. We know that doesn't speak for what's happened or what will happen. We've just got to continue to keep bringing it every day."
Moran and Diaz both went deep off Luis Castillo (4-8) to give Pittsburgh the lead. Harrison hit his fourth of the season off reliever Austin Brice in the sixth. The Cincinnati native finished 2 for 4 is hitting .368 (14 for 38) against the Reds.
"Any time you can have a total offensive effort like that, it shows that we're doing what we're supposed to, taking advantage of mistake pitches and when presented with an opportunity to move a runner, get it done," Harrison said.
Ivan Nova (4-5) worked through heavy traffic on a day his breaking ball abandoned him to last six innings and pick up his second victory in as many starts since returning from the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right ring finger. Nova allowed only Eugenio Suarez's 13th home run in the second, striking out three while giving up three walks.
"I didn't have the curveball today, but we grinded out there," Nova said.
Castillo struggled keeping the ball on the right side of the fence at PNC Park, a problem that's plagued the 25-year-old all season. He's now allowed at least one home run in 15 of his 18 starts.
"It's surprising because I'm trying to do my best and every time I get out there, I give up one or two home runs," Castillo said after dropping his fourth straight decision. "I really don't know what's happening right now. I'm just going to keep working in the bullpen and keep doing my best trying to help."
Rookie Brandon Dixon hit his first major league home run off Pittsburgh reliever Michael Feliz in the ninth and Jesse Winker had two of Cincinnati's seven hits to snap out of an 0-for-13 skid, but the Reds had issues taking advantage against Nova.
Cincinnati went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and is now 0 for 19 with runners in scoring position in the series.
"We've just got to get it going," Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. "You go through these things. We've got a good offensive ball club. We've shown it many times. We're just in a little funk here where we're not getting some timely hits."
Moran broke a tie with his fourth home run of the season and first since June 2 when he sent Castillo's pitch into the bullpen beyond the centerfield fence leading off the second. Diaz made it 3-1 when his fifth home run led off the third.
The Reds had their opportunities against Nova. They loaded the bases in the fourth only to have Billy Hamilton ground out to first to end the threat. Scott Schebler led off the fifth with a double but couldn't get home and Hamilton came to the plate in the sixth with two runners on only to fly out to left field.
Hamilton finished 0 for 4 as his averaged dipped to .187.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: Reliever Richard Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) threw 20 pitches in a simulated game and is nearing a return from the 10-day disabled list. Rodriguez, who is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, said "things feel really good right now."
UP NEXT
Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.40 ERA) starts the series finale on Sunday. The 28-year-old picked up his first victory since 2016 in his previous start against St. Louis.
Pirates: Joe Musgrove (2-1, 2.16) makes his first career start against the Reds. Musgrove gave up two earned runs in five innings of a no decision on Monday against Arizona.

Cole Hamels helped the Texas Rangers keep rolling against a Kansas City Royals team caught in a freefall.
Hamels allowed four singles over seven innings, Delino DeShields doubled home two runs and the Rangers beat the Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.
The Royals have lost eight straight, matching their season high, and 14 of 15. They own a major league-worst 10-28 home record, and their 22-51 overall mark is the worst in franchise history after 73 games.
Hamels (4-6) picked up his first win since May 22. The run off him in the fifth was unearned Giovani Bernard Jersey , and he has yet to allow an earned run in 20 innings over three starts at Kauffman Stadium.
"To be able to get the runs that we did in the second and third, that was huge," Hamels said. "Just to kind of let you settle down and I felt good from there."
Keone Kela pitched a spotless ninth for his 17th save in as many chances.
DeShields' second-inning double scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Robinson Chirinos.
Kiner-Falefa, who had three hits and walked, doubled home Adrian Beltre in the third. Jurickson Profar scored the second run of the inning after third baseman Mike Moustakas' fielding error to make it 4-0.
"Early in the day he (Kiner-Falefa) wasn't initially in the lineup, but it's a testament to what he does every single day, the professionalism he shows up with, even as a young player, a rookie player, he comes prepared," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "He was one of the first players at the ballpark ready to play and he came up big for us tonight with the doubles."
Royals starter Jason Hammel (2-8) was removed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Hammel is 0-6 in nine home starts since an Aug. 20 victory over Cleveland.
"Four walks and two of them came around to score," Hammel said. "That's the thing that will irk me as I'm trying to sleep. I had trouble gripping the ball the first few innings. I was just sweating like a dog. It's an excuse. It's something I've dealt with my whole career. I sweat a lot."
Rosell Herrera's two-out double in the fifth scored Alex Gordon with the Kansas City run.
Whit Merrifield led off the Royals' first with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and stole third with none out, but did not score. Salvador Perez grounded into his 12th double play after Moustakas walked to end the inning.
"We've hit into our 73rd double play of the year, something crazy," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "It just boggles your mind that that has happened so many times."
Gordon picked up his seventh outfield assist of the season, throwing out Elvis Andrus trying to score from second on Profar's ninth-inning single.
GAME TWO TIDBITS
The Rangers have more than half of their 31 victories in the second games of series. They are 16-8 in Game 2s.
JUST LIKE DAD
Adalberto Mondesi doubled off Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon on Monday. His father Raul Mondesi went 2 for 11 off Colon. The Mondesi family is the fourth father-son combo to each record a plate appearance against the 45-year-old pitcher.
ROSTER MOVES
Rangers: LHP Yohander Mendez was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after violating team rules. RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was recalled from the same club. Texas traded RHP Deck McGuire to the Los Angeles Angels for cash or a player to be named.
Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts. He will be used in relief.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: 1B Lucas Duda (right foot plantar fasciitis) went 2 for 5 with a three-run homer and a double in Omaha's 9-2 victory Tuesday in Reno in his second minor league rehab game. OF Jorge Bonifacio, who is suspended for the first 80 games for violating the MLB's drug policy, is hitting .448 in seven games with Omaha.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Bibens-Dirkx (0-1, 6.55) will start the series finale. He went 2-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 11 starts with Round Rock.
Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (5-7, 4.43) has lost his past four decisions. He has never faced the Rangers.