Angels defeat Pirates 6-1 behind six scoreless innings from Kikuchi

The Los Angeles Angels earned a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, snapping a streak with only their second win in the last 11 games. Starter Yusei Kikuchi provided the foundation for the win by limiting Pittsburgh to five hits and three walks over six shutout innings while recording six strikeouts. Offensively, the Angels broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning and extended their lead behind a solo home run from Josh Lowe and multi-hit efforts from Zach Neto and Wade Meckler. While Luke Murphy allowed a solo home run to Bryan Reynolds in the eighth inning, the bullpen successfully closed out the contest. The loss hampers Pittsburgh's pursuit of a wildcard berth, leaving the team five games back in the standings. The clubs conclude their three-game series tomorrow with a pitching matchup between Walbert Urena and Paul Skenes.

• 1:44 AMYahoo Sports — Angels Finally Score Runs In 6-1 Win Over Pittsburgh