Phillies roar back to thump Pirates, 12-6

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesRonald Torreyes delivered a three-run pinch-hit homer in the sixth inning to send the Philadelphia Phillies on their way to a 12-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies, who closed to within two games of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East, spotted the Bucs a 6-0 lead after 2 ½ innings. But that would be the beginning of the end for Pittsburgh, as the Phils scored 12 straight runs over the next six innings to take the first game of their four-game set.

The Pirates took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth behind reliever Anthony Banda, who gave up a leadoff single to pinch hitter J.T.…