Marlins 2 - 4 Pirates
Final
  for this game

Pirates try to carry momentum into opener with Marlins

May 25, 2015 - 2:19 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to carry their momentum from the weekend into Monday's opener of a three-game series versus the Miami Marlins at PNC Park.

The Pirates swept the visiting New York Mets and broke out the brooms with Sunday's 9-1 victory behind a strong mound presence from Francisco Liriano. The left-hander struck out 12 batters and allowed one run in six innings.

Starling Marte belted a three-run homer and Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run shot to back Liriano, while Francisco Cervelli went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

"We needed this weekend," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "We played good team ball."

Pittsburgh will send Charlie Morton to the hill Monday for his season debut and was bothered by a hip issue to start the season. Morton was 6-12 with a 3.72 earned run average in 26 starts for the Pirates last season and has a 5-3 record to go along with a 4.03 ERA in 10 career starts against the Marlins.

The Marlins are coming off a rare series win over the Baltimore Orioles this weekend and made it two straight wins with Sunday's 5-2 verdict.

Tom Koehler leveled his record at 3-3 and held the Orioles to a run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings. Martin Prado homered and Marcell Ozuna finished with three hits and two RBI for Miami, which has won two straight on the heels of an eight-game losing streak.

"It's been a battle the last couple of weeks, but yesterday and today, I feel like we finally are coming along as a team," Prado said. "Not because we won the last two games. I think everybody started realizing we believe we have enough talent in this locker room to battle all the way through it."

The Marlins went 2-8 on their homestand and will play the next six games on the road against the Pirates and New York Mets.

Taking the mound for Miami Monday will be David Phelps and the right-hander is 2-1 with a 3.21 earned run average in nine games (7 starts). Phelps lost his last time out in a 6-1 decision to Arizona and allowed four runs in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Phelps won his only career start against Pittsburgh with five scoreless innings. The Marlins, though, have lost three of Phelps' last four trips to the mound.

The Pirates went 4-2 against the Marlins last season and will visit south Florida for four games in August.






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