Candelario homers to help Singer and the Reds beat the Pirates 5-3

CINCINNATI — Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer to help Brady Singer and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Friday night.

Singer (3-0) pitched five innings of three-run ball in his third straight win. The right-hander allowed two hits, struck out three and walked three.

Singer is in his first season with Cincinnati after he was acquired in a November trade with Kansas City.

Taylor Rogers, Graham Ashcraft and Emilio Pagán followed Singer with four innings of two-hit ball. Pagán handled the ninth for his third save.

Adam Frazier hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh, and Tommy Pham had an RBI double. Bailey Falter (0-2) was charged with five runs — three earned — and three hits in five innings.

Candelario's first homer made it 3-0 in the first. A two-run throwing error by catcher Endy Rodríguez extended the lead to 5-0 in the third.

Rodríguez entered the game after Joey Bart departed because of lower-back discomfort.

Pittsburgh outfielder Oneil Cruz missed his second consecutive start with a finger injury on his left hand.

Reds outfielder Austin Hays was 0 for 2 with a sacrifice fly in his first rehab start at Triple-A Louisville on Friday night. Hays, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, suffered a left calf injury late in spring training.

Key moment

Rodríguez blocked a wild pitch, but overthrew third trying to get Elly De La Cruz, who scored along with Spencer Steer.

Key stat

Up next

Andrew Heaney (0-0, 1.50 ERA) starts for the Pirates on Saturday against fellow left-hander Andrew Abbott, making his season debut after a couple of rehab starts at Triple-A Louisville.

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