KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Pirates needed some good news. They were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers this past weekend and lost starting shortstop Jordy Mercer for six weeks with a left knee sprain, joining third baseman Josh Harrison on the disabled list.
Travis Ishikawa brought the good news Monday night.
Ishikawa, a hired hand claimed off waivers earlier this month, drove in four runs with two doubles and an opposite-field home run, his first since a walk-off blast in October that sent the San Francisco Giants to the World Series, and the Pirates held off the Royals, 10-7, in a tense, back-and-forth affair at Kauffman Stadium.