Pirates 4 - 3 Tigers
Final
  for this game

McCutchen hits 2 HRs, helps Pirates edge Tigers

May 20, 2012 - 3:29 AM

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Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Andrew McCutchen hit a pair of two-run homers to lead the Pirates over the Tigers, 4-3, in the second meeting of a three- game interleague series.

One day after nearly getting no-hit by Justin Verlander, the Pirates notched nine hits and held Detroit to one hit with runners in scoring position.

McCutchen's round-trippers made a winner of A.J. Burnett (2-2), who yielded two runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings.

"We had Burnett on the ropes and let him out of it," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Prince Fielder belted a two-run homer for Detroit, which has dropped three of four and six of eight overall. Drew Smyly (1-1) served up both McCutchen home runs to suffer his first loss of the season.

Jason Grilli relieved Burnett in the seventh, and with runners on the corners and two outs uncorked a pitch that got away from catcher Rod Barajas, allowing Miguel Cabrera to score.

Grilli fanned Alex Avila to preserve the 4-3 lead, and Juan Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth prior to Joel Hanrahan working around a two-out walk in the ninth. Hanrahan finished off his ninth save by striking out Fielder.

McCutchen did not homer in April but has notched seven in May -- four in the past three games after he went deep twice against the Nationals on Thursday.

His first on Saturday came in the first inning on a 1-2 pitch he deposited into the seats in left-center. Josh Harrison, who broke up Verlander's no-hit bid with one out in the ninth inning on Friday, reached on a bunt single prior to the blast.

"After a tough day [Friday], I think the guys wanted to go out and prove they're a better hitting team than that," Hanrahan said. "[The first inning] set the tone."

Fielder crushed his seventh home run of the season with Andy Dirks aboard in the third, but McCutchen answered in the fifth with an opposite-field blast to right. Harrison was again on base after getting hit by a pitch.

Game Notes

McCutchen has six career multi-homer games...Burnett had a 7.17 ERA in four previous starts at Comerica Park...Detroit went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10...Smyly allowed seven hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings...Both teams wore jerseys from the Negro Leagues, with the Tigers showing off the Detroit Stars uniforms and the Pirates donning the Pittsburgh Crawfords pinstripes.






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