Pirates beat Marlins to go 13 Games over 500

After losing for the first time in two months in his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers, A.J. Burnett got back on the winning track with a masterful performance against the Miami Marlins.

Burnett picked up his 11th win of the season by going 7 .2 innings scattering nine hits and only giving up one run. His only blemish was a second inning home run by Marlins right fielder Justin Ruggiano.

The game looked like it was shaping up into a pitcher’s duel as each pitcher only gave up one run in the first three innings. However, in the fourth inning it became a rout. They say patience is a virtue and the Pirates proved that by scoring four runs in the fourth inning without the benefit of a hit. The first time this feat has been done since 1998 by the Oakland Athletics.

The Pirates waited out Marlins starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano who was erratic at best. In the fourth inning he hit the first two men he saw. He hit catcher Rod Barajas on a 1-1 count, then short stop Clint Barmes made Zambrano throw a lot of pitches before getting hit by the pitch on the 11th pitch in the at bat.

The Pirates would break the 1-1 tie on a sacrifice bunt by Burnett when Marlins catcher John Buck over shot first base and sent the ball into right field. A sacrifice fly by Neil Walker increased the Pirates lead to 3-1. The Pirates would get two more runs brought in by the walk when Garret Jones and Casey McGehee walked in back to back at bats.

That was more than enough for Burnett to pick up the victory and for Lincoln to pick up his first save of the season.

The Pirates look for the sweep tomorrow when Jeff Karstens takes the mound looking for  his third win of the season.