Seeking their first series sweep of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates were trailing the Cincinnati Reds but had two runners in scoring position and a count in their favor in the bottom of the ninth inning.

After giving up the winning run to the Pirates a night earlier, Reds right-hander Mychal Givens had worked himself into a jam by walking two batters, who had advanced to second and third base.

After getting behind in a 3-0 count, Givens recovered to strike out Hoy Park and preserve a 1-0 Reds victory Thursday afternoon before an announced crowd of 9,102 at PNC Park.

It marked the 14th time the Pirates (54-92) failed to clinch a series sweep, leaving them as the only team in baseball without one this season. While still searching for their first series sweep, the Pirates took consolation in winning six games in a nine-game homestand after losing six consecutive in Chicago to the White Sox and Cubs.

The Pirates took two out of three games against the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and the NL Central rival Reds (76-71), who had won nine of 10 against the Pirates this season. After the win, the Reds were tied with the San Diego Padres at one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s second wild-card berth.

“It is a lot of wins, and to come home after being swept on the road and win three series, I mean we would like to get a sweep, but we’re playing a team that’s a playoff-caliber team, and we beat them two of three, and we had a 1-0 game with the bullpen game today,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “So I think it speaks to how hard our guys are playing, and they continue to get better. I give them credit. Do we want that? Yeah. But if you would have told me we were going to come home and win three series, I would have been really happy with that.”

Shelton also was happy with the performance of a new pitcher as Connor Overton allowed two hits and one walk while striking out three in three scoreless innings of a bullpen start.

“I think he gave us all we could ask for and more,” Shelton said. “We were hoping for two, we got three and he threw the ball really well. The changeup played, and it was a really impressive appearance for him.”

With their starting pitching options limited by injuries to Steven Brault and JT Brubaker, the Pirates turned to the right-handed Overton. Claimed off waivers from Toronto on Sept. 6, Overton found out after Wednesday’s 5-4 walk-off win that he would be making his first major-league start.

“I was nervous at first when they told me, but I was excited,” said Overton, who was working on five hours of sleep. “I was ready to do it. I tried to get out of here as fast as I could so I could get back, and that didn’t help at all.”

It’s hard to blame Overton, given he played for 10 teams in seven minor-league seasons for four major-league clubs, had a pair of stints in independent baseball and recovered from Tommy John surgery. His road to the majors was circuitous, so his first start was a promising sign.

“I think it just speaks to his fortitude to be able to get released, go to indy ball, have surgery, continue to push his way back,” Shelton said. “And if you’re a strike thrower and can execute the changeup, you’re going to continue to get opportunities, and I think that’s what we’ve seen from him.”

Overton stranded runners at first and second in the first inning, and Shogo Akiyama after a double in the second before retiring the side in the third. That’s been his plan all along. Since making his MLB debut with the Blue Jays on Aug. 12, Overton has yet to allow a run through 10 2/3 innings.

“I figured if I kept throwing up zeros and getting guys out, I was going to have an opportunity somewhere,” Overton said. “But, as far as the first start goes, man, that was nuts. I’d made a few spot starts in (Triple-A) Buffalo this year, but it’s a lot different up here. I had that quick moment of being overwhelmed, and then I kind of came to and just wanted to do the same thing I’ve been doing all year: just making pitches and getting people out.”

The Pirates had their scoring chances but couldn’t solve Reds righty Tyler Mahle (12-5), who gave up five hits and one walk while striking out four in six scoreless innings.

Ben Gamel singled to start the second inning, stole second base and reached third on a groundout by Kevin Newman. When Michael Perez grounded to second, however, Gamel was thrown out at home.

Ke’Bryan Hayes singled to start the third inning but was stranded at third base when Colin Moran grounded out to first. And Park hit a two-out single in the seventh and stole second base but pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo, who scored the winning run Wednesday, grounded out to short to end the inning.

“I feel like we lined out a good bit,” said Hayes, who went 2 for 4. “There was a lot of balls that we hit hard that we just hit right to people.”

The Reds took the lead in the seventh, when Tyler Stephenson hit a leadoff double off Cody Ponce (0-4) before being replaced by pinch-runner Delino DeShields. Kyle Farmer drew a walk, and Akiyama’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners. DeShields scored on pinch-hitter Asdrubal Cabrera’s sacrifice fly to left.

Givens entered in the ninth inning and walked Gamel and Newman. Michael Perez hit a fly ball to deep center, allowing Gamel to tag to third. Newman stole second base, putting both in scoring position.

After falling behind in the count against Park, Givens fired up his four-seam fastball. He threw one 95 mph for a called strike, 96 mph for a swinging strike, 97 mph for a foul ball and 98 mph to get Park swinging for the final out and prevent the Pirates getting from their first sweep.

“Whenever you’re at home and you can get two out of three and whenever you’re on the road and you can get a game or two, that’s how teams make the playoffs,” Hayes said. “Yeah, we haven’t had a sweep all season but, as of late, we’re playing really good baseball. Pitching’s there. Hitting’s there. So, that’s all we can ask for.”

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