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Opportunistic Pirates top Marlins

Jul 22, 2012 - 4:49 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Pirates took what was given to them Saturday and walked out of PNC Park with another win.

In the home fourth, the Pirates scored four runs without recording a hit as they took advantage of a bevy of Marlin miscues, propelling them to a 5-1 win over Miami in the middle installment of a three-game set.

"It's been a long time since I've seen four runs score without a hit," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

Pittsburgh moved to 31-14 at home this season, the best mark in the majors.

A.J. Burnett (11-3), who improved to 7-0 in the Steel City this year, surrendered a run on eight hits and a walk in 7 2/3 innings. He joined the New York Mets' R.A. Dickey and the LA Angels of Anaheim's Jered Weaver as the only other starters to remain perfect at home in 2012.

Andrew McCutchen, who came in hitting .500 in July, went 1-for-4. Neil Walker tallied a hit and an RBI, while Garrett Jones registered a pair of RBI for the Pirates, who registered just five hits as they won their fourth consecutive game.

Carlos Zambrano (5-8) was charged with five runs -- four earned -- on three hits and six walks over 3 1/3 frames for Miami, which has dropped four in a row.

"If I had to work on something it would be my delivery," Zambrano said. "I definitely will work on it in my next bullpen session."

With the game tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, 10 Pittsburgh batters strolled to the plate during the four-run inning as Zambrano issued three walks while also hitting two batters.

After Rod Barajas and Clint Barmes were plunked to begin the frame, Burnett laid down a seemingly innocent sacrifice bunt.

But it quickly turned into disaster when John Buck airmailed his throw to first, allowing Barajas to cross the plate.

It went downhill for the mercurial Zambrano from there.

He walked Alex Presley to load the bases before Walker lifted a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Barmes. The big Venezuelan then walked McCutchen and Jones in succession to plate Burnett.

Chad Gaudin came on to relieve Zambrano and issued a free pass to Casey McGhee as Presley trotted home to make it 5-1. Gaudin then struck out Pedro Alvarez and Barajas to finally end the frame.

It was the first time a team scored four runs in one inning without a hit since the Oakland Athletics on Sept 23, 1998, against the Seattle Mariners.

Brad Lincoln took over for Burnett with runners on the corners and two away in the eighth. He struck out Logan Morrison to end the frame before tossing a scoreless ninth to pick up his first save of the year.

Jones' RBI groundout opened the scoring for Pittsburgh in the home first, but Justin Ruggiano stroked an opposite-field homer over the 21-foot high wall in right, knotting the game in the second.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Pirates placed pitcher Juan Cruz on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Evan Meek from Triple-A Indianapolis...Pittsburgh moved to 14-2 in games played on Saturday this year, including a perfect 9-0 record at home.