Jared Jones leads Pirates to shutout victory over Angels

Jared Jones pitched six scoreless innings to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 on Friday at PNC Park. The right-hander allowed three hits and recorded nine strikeouts while throwing 91 pitches, his highest total since returning from elbow surgery. Jones navigated a difficult second inning by retiring Christian Moore, Jose Siri, and Adam Frazier to escape a bases-loaded threat. He retired the final seven batters faced to anchor the win, relying heavily on a slider that generated 19 of his 21 whiffs. The Pirates currently hold a 70-72 record and remain 4.5 games behind a wild card position. Manager Don Kelly acknowledged the decision to allow Jones to work into the sixth inning was necessary due to the team’s ongoing postseason pursuit.

• 3:01 AMYahoo Sports — Jared Jones Ends Drought at Crucial Time for Pirates