Another start, another display of improvement for J.A. Happ.
The lefty pitched six scoreless innings and the Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-1, at PNC Park Wednesday night. The Pirates won for the sixth time in seven games and have won 10 of their past 13.
On Thursday, the Pirates begin a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants, the defending World Series champions who knocked the Pirates out of the playoffs in last October’s wild-card game. The Giants entered Wednesday’s games 1 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and three games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot.