Ashcraft and Mlodzinski steady the mound as Pirates push through rain to beat the Reds

Saturday’s game in Cincinnati turned into a test of rhythm and patience for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rain interrupted play in the sixth inning, forcing the teams to pause for 1 hour and 46 minutes, but the matchup ultimately carried to the end. In the end, Pittsburgh returned to the win column, a result that mattered to a club trying to reverse a recent slide.

Braxton Ashcraft was central to that rebound. The Pirates’ right-hander delivered enough to keep the game controlled through the longest stretches of uncertainty, helping Pittsburgh withstand the weather delay without letting the pause disrupt its approach on the mound. In a contest played in unstable conditions, the ability to pick up where a starter left off often becomes as important as what happens before the tarp comes out.

As the game resumed after the delay, the Pirates leaned on another reliable arm in their bullpen, with lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman? (Not supported)

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