PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Interstat) — Braxton Ashcraft struck out 11 over six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Minnesota Twins 9-3 on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park. The Pirates, who improved to 32-28, broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Nick Gonzales homered in the third and Henry Davis drove in two runs. Ryan O’Hearn added two hits and an RBI, and Jake Mangum contributed a sacrifice fly. Ashcraft allowed five hits and two earned runs to earn his fifth victory against two losses. The Twins, now 27-33, got two home runs and three RBIs from Brooks Lee. His two-run shot in the sixth was Minnesota’s only scoring. Zebby Matthews took the loss, allowing six hits and seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. Pittsburgh scored two in the second and two in the third to build an early lead, then erupted for five in the fifth on RBI singles by Brandon Lowe and Davis, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. Attendance was 19,358. Game time was 2:30.