Pirates Call Up Chris Owings, Place Luis Ortiz on Taxi Squad

PITTSBURGH — On a seven-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Pirates switched out utility players Monday as they selected the contract of Chris Owings from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned Mark Mathias to the same club.

Owings was in the starting lineup for Monday night’s game with the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park, playing shortstop and batting eighth.

The 31-year-old Owings was hitting .273/.360/.523 with two home runs in 13 games for Indianapolis. He started nine games at shortstop, two at second base and one each at third base and in center field.

Mathias, 28, hit .275/.370/.325 in 15 games for the Pirates.

As expected, Indianapolis right-hander Luis Ortiz has joined the Pirates and been placed on the taxi squad. He will be activated to start Tuesday night against the Rockies.

Ortiz, 24, was 2-1 with a 2.23 ERA in seven starts for Indy with a 0.96 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.