PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of an uncharacteristically average performance by Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer to earn a doubleheader split with a 4-3 win in the nightcap on Friday.

The Reds took the opener 4-2 behind the strength of Luis Castillo, who picked up his first victory in nearly a year when he worked six solid innings.

Cincinnati, however, missed a chance to sweep a doubleheader for the third time this season when the Pirates scrounged up just enough offense against Bauer.

Recently acquired outfielder Anthony Alford hit a two-run triple off Bauer in the fourth and then tied the game when Bauer’s second wild pitch of the season briefly skipped out of reach of catcher Tucker Barnhart. The ball didn’t leave the dirt surrounding the batter’s box but gave the speedy Alford — claimed off waivers from Toronto last week — all the time he needed to race home.

Bauer (3-3) allowed four runs but his ERA actually dropped from 2.13 to 2.05 after an error by first baseman Joey Votto that opened up the door for three unearned runs to cross the plate in the fourth. Bauer surrendered six hits against two walks and seven strikeouts.

Rookie third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes had two hits for the Pirates. Kevin Newman singled off Bauer leading off the fifth, moved to third on Adam Frazier’s single and put Pittsburgh in front when he scored on a double play.

Sam Howard (2-1) picked up the win in relief of starter Cody Ponce. Richard Rodriguez worked a perfect seventh for his third save. Nik Turley escaped a two-on, two-out situation in the sixth when he struck out pinch-hitter Matt Davidson.

The Reds hit second rather than first in Game 2, a quirk of the schedule necessitated by the postponement of two games in Cincinnati last month after a Reds player tested positive for COVID-19.

Castillo (1-5) collected his first victory since Sept. 13, 2019 when he kept the Pirates in check in the opener. The 27-year-old, a 15-game winner and an All-Star last season, had dropped seven straight decisions dating back to last season.

Nick Castellanos hit his 11th home run for the Reds, a solo shot off Steven Brault (0-2) that gave Castillo the kind of support he’s lacked most of this season.

Gregory Polanco doubled twice and drove in a run for Pittsburgh. Colin Moran added two hits and an RBI.