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Pirates blast Braves, close gap in NL Central

Sep 26, 2014 - 3:47 AM Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Edinson Volquez's latest sensational start, combined with an offensive barrage, enabled the Pittsburgh Pirates to further close the gap in the National League Central race by virtue of a 10-1 rout of the Atlanta Braves.

Behind Volquez's seven scoreless innings and a 16-hit onslaught, the Pirates pulled within one game of St. Louis for the NL Central lead entering the season's final weekend.

Pittsburgh, already guaranteed at least a Wild Card berth, will visit Cincinnati for a three-game series beginning Friday, while the Cardinals play their final three tests at lowly Arizona.

Andrew McCutchen knocked in three runs, Josh Harrison went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and Travis Snider finished a triple shy of the cycle to back a season-best 10-strikeout effort out of Volquez (13-7), who yielded just four singles and a walk to extend his unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive outings.

"I'm very happy with the way I pitched tonight, and with the whole year," Volquez said. "It feels good."

Neil Walker added a two-run homer and Starling Marte ended 2-for-5 with a two- RBI double.

David Hale (4-5), called upon for a spot start with Mike Minor shut down for the season, allowed two runs over 4 2/3 innings for Atlanta.

Quickly staked to a 1-0 edge on Snider's home run over the center-field wall with one out in the first inning, Volquez didn't give up a hit until Phil Gosselin's single in the fourth and encountered only one mild jam. That was in the fifth, when Andrelton Simmons and Ramiro Pena each reached on one-out singles prior to Volquez setting down the next two hitters.

He was working with a 2-0 advantage at that point, with Harrison and Snider each registering singles in the third and McCutchen sending Harrison home with a sacrifice fly.

After stranding a pair of runners in both the fourth and fifth innings to keep it a two-run game, the Pirates pulled further away when Marte singled in the sixth, stole second, and came around on Gaby Sanchez's pinch-hit single.

Three more runs crossed in the seventh. Braves reliever Gus Schlosser uncorked a wild pitch with the bases loaded to account for the first, right before Marte made it a 6-0 lead by slicing a two-run double to right.

Volquez singled in front of a Harrison double in the eighth, setting the stage for McCutchen's single up the middle that sent both home. Walker followed with his 22nd homer of the year to put the Pirates in double digits.

The Braves' lone run came in the bottom of the ninth. Jason Heyward drew a walk against Casey Sadler, moved to third on a single and scored on Pena's sac fly.

"The game describes how our season went. ... Not very good," Simmons said.

Game Notes

Volquez is now 4-0 with a 1.78 ERA in 12 starts since his last defeat, a setback to the Dodgers on July 27 ... Harrison extended his hitting streak to 13 games and upped his season average to .319, while Marte has now hit safely in 10 straight ... Atlanta catcher Evan Gattis, sidelined by strep throat and a kidney stone, started for the first time since Sept. 7 but was removed after six innings ... The Braves finished 42-39 at Turner Field for the season.