SAN DIEGO — Michael King pitched six sharp innings, Manny Machado drove in two runs and David Peralta homered as the San Diego Padres beat Pittsburgh 3-0 on Tuesday night to hand the Pirates their ninth straight loss.
The Padres won for the 18th time in 21 games since July 20 and claimed their eighth straight series. Conversely, the Pirates lost for the 11th time in 12 games.
''They kept chasing that sinker," King said. ''It was something that I didn't really have in the game plan, but saw it early and just kept going to it.''
King (10-6) struck out 10, allowed seven hits and didn't issue a walk, throwing 70 of his 93 pitches for strikes. The 29-year-old right-hander won for the fifth time in six decisions since June 29.
''He controlled the counts and that is what allows you to throw up zeros,'' Padres manager Mike Shildt said. ''He just made a lot of quality pitches.''
Pirates starter Luis Ortiz (5-3) gave up two runs, one earned, and three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
Ortiz worked out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the first inning, allowing an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Machado that scored Luis Arraez as San Diego took a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh's Ji Hwan Bae made an outstanding diving catch on Machado's sinking liner to prevent further damage.
With Machado on first in the fourth inning, Bae robbed Jackson Merrill with a leaping catch near the wall in center field to end the inning.
