Stephen Kolek pitches into the 6th in first MLB start as Padres blank Pirates for 5th straight win

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Stephen Kolek pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his first major league start and combined with four relievers for the San Diego Padres’ eighth shutout of the season, a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for their fifth straight win.

Kolek was recalled from Triple-A El Paso before the game. He made 42 relief appearances for the Padres last season as a rookie after being selected from Seattle in the Rule 5 draft.

Kolek, who had a 6.38 ERA in five starts for El Paso this season, allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two.

Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, Wandy Peralta and Jason Adam followed Kolek. The eight shutouts are the most in the majors.

Xander Bogaerts had three RBIs for the Padres, who scored all their runs in the first two innings off Andrew Heaney (2-3), who was pulled with two outs in the fourth.

Stephen Kolek pitches into the 6th in first MLB start as Padres blank Pirates for 5th straight win | iNFOnews.ca — San Diego Padres pitcher Stephen Kolek delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Manny Machado doubled and scored on Bogaerts’ single in the first inning. In the second, Elias Diaz led off with his third home run of the season and Bogaerts hit a two-run double to make it 4-0.

Heaney allowed eight hits and four walks while striking out three. The Pirates have lost four games in a row and seven of their last eight.

Machado had three hits and Bogaerts, Diaz and Luis Arraez added two apiece. The Pirates’ Joey Bart, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Matt Gorski and Tommy Pham had two hits each.

Key Moment

Down 4-0 in the second, the Pirates put two runners on with one out, but Adam Frazier struck out and Hayes was picked off at second base.

Key Stat

The Padres’ relievers’ 1.73 ERA is the best in the big leagues.

Up Next

Padres: Open a three-game series against the Yankees on Monday night in New York with RHP Nick Pivetta (5-1, 1.78) facing LHP Carlos Rodon (4-3, 3.43).

Pirates: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 6.58) starts Monday night against Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (1-2, 4.66) to begin a three-game series in St. Louis.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb