PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Ivan Nova pitched seven innings to win his first start with Pittsburgh, Homer Bailey struggled in his second start since having Tommy John surgery and the Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Saturday night.
Nova (8-6) was acquired from the New York Yankees on Monday for two players to be named and gave up three runs and six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. He had spent his entire seven-year career with New York.
Nova pitched more than six innings just three times in 15 starts with the Yankees this season.
Starling Marte welcomed reliever Josh Smith with a two-run single in the fourth to give the Pirates a 5-2 lead. Marte and Josh Harrison each had two hits for Pittsburgh, which entered three games out of the second NL wild card.
Tony Watson pitched a perfect ninth for his second save in three chances since All-Star closer Mark Melancon was traded to the Washington Nationals. Watson blew the save Friday night but the Pirates rallied for a 3-2 win.
The Reds' Brandon Phillips hit two solo home runs off Nova for the 13th multihomer game of his 15-year career. The second baseman raised his season total to eight but had last homered May 7 and ended a career-long streak of 286 at-bats without connecting.
Phillips is 9 for 15 with six RBIs and six runs in his last four games.
Nova has allowed home runs in 15 of his 16 starts.
Phillips' second home run cut the Reds' deficit to 5-3 in the seventh. He also homered in the second when Tucker Barnhart had an RBI single to put Cincinnati ahead 2-1.
The Pirates scored twice against Bailey (1-1) in the third to move in front 3-2. John Jaso was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded with two outs and Francisco Cervelli followed with an RBI single.
Bailey allowed five runs and eight hits in three-plus innings. He struck out four and walked one. He was coming off a promising season debut, limiting San Diego to two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 3-2 win on July 31.
The Pirates won their second game in a row following a 1-5 stretch while the Reds lost back-to-back games for the first time since dropping three in a row from July 8-10. The loss also ended Cincinnati's streak of six consecutive series victories since the break.
UP NEXT
RHP Dan Straily (6-6, 3.80 ERA) will start Sunday in the finale of the three-game series and try to extend his streak of six straight quality starts.
