PITTSBURGH — Bryse Wilson worked five solid innings Monday night, becoming the third 20-year-old pitcher to start in his big league debut for Atlanta this season in the Braves’ 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Wilson allowed three hits, struck out five and walked three as Atlanta increased its NL East lead to one game over idle Philadelphia while ending its four-game skid. The Braves purchased the right-hander’s contract from Triple-A Gwinnett prior to the game so they could give their regular starters a rest.

Mike Soroka was 20 when he started May 1 against the Mets at New York and Koby Allard did it on July 31 against Miami.

The last team to use three starters before they reached their 21st birthday in a season was the 1965 Kansas City Athletics with Hall of Famer Catfish Hunter, Don Buschhorn and Ron Tompkins.

Five relievers finished the seven-hitter. Dan Winkler pitched the ninth, working around a leadoff single for his second save.

Pittsburgh has allowed exactly one run in five straight games but has lost three. The organization hasn’t done that since July 13-18, 1888, when they were the Alleghenys, according to Stats.

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The Braves scored in the first inning when Freddie Freeman hit a two-out double and scored on Nick Markakis’ single.

Center fielder Ender Inciarte preserved the lead in the seventh he when he threw out Adeiny Hechavarria trying to score from second base on Corey Dickerson’s single to end the inning. The call was upheld after a video review.

Pirates starter Chris Archer (4-6) was removed after four innings because of left leg discomfort. Archer appeared to be injured while batting in the third inning. He fell as he attempted to check his swing while striking out.

Manager Clint Hurdle and a trainer visited the mound after Archer warmed up before the fourth, but he remained in the game for one more inning.

Archer allowed one run and five hits with three strikeouts and one walk. He is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in four starts for Pittsburgh since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade.

Wilson (1-0) began the season at Class A Florida and went a combined 8-5 with a 3.23 ERA in 23 starts in the minor leagues. He was the Braves’ fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

RAYS 1, ROYALS 0: Ryan Yarbrough helped extend Tampa Bay’s shutout streak to 23 innings, and the Rays got their only run via video replay at St. Petersburg, Florida.

Yarbrough (12-5) pitched 51/3 innings in relief of Rays opener Hunter Wood. Yarbrough gave up two hits and a walk, striking out six.

Yarbrough and three others combined for Tampa Bay’s second straight shutout. Jose Alvarado pitched the ninth for his fifth save and stretched the Rays’ streak of scoreless innings, which included 14 over the weekend in Boston.

Willy Adames drove in the game’s first run. After singles by Ji-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier in the second inning, Adames hit a two-out chopper over third base. Adames beat Rosell Herrera’s throw across the diamond, but it took a 43-second review to reverse the out call.

BLUE JAYS 5, ORIOLES 3: Kendrys Morales homered twice, Marco Estrada pitched 51/3 innings to win his second straight start and Toronto went to 8-0 at home against Baltimore.

Morales hit a one-out solo homer in the fourth, then added a three-run drive in the fifth – both off Baltimore right-hander Andrew Cashner (4-11) – for his 22nd career multihomer game.

Renato Nunez replied with a solo home run for the struggling Orioles, who have lost nine of their past 11.

Estrada (7-9) allowed three runs and seven hits, improving to 9-2 in 18 career games against Baltimore.


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