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Pirates top Braves in series opener

Jun 6, 2015 - 4:40 AM Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Starling Marte and Neil Walker each homered and drove in three runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-8 win over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game series.

Francisco Cervelli had four of Pittsburgh's 14 hits, Gregory Polanco had a pair of runs and stolen bases and Marte scored three times in the win.

Pittsburgh's offensive onslaught backed Charlie Morton (3-0), who was stellar in his first two starts of the season but was roughed up for four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over five innings despite earning the win in this one.

"Couple double plays at the right time and a couple good plays behind me in the outfield," said Morton. "I wasn't executing. I had no feel, but I got through it."

Williams Perez, who allowed just two runs in his first three major-league starts, was also hit around. He was charged with four runs on five hits and five walks over five innings. Luis Avilan (2-1) took the loss.

The Braves manufactured a pair of runs in the home first. Cameron Maybin got things started with an infield single, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Andrelton Simmons' single to right made it 1-0, and he scored later in the inning on Walker's error.

Pittsburgh got one back on Cervelli's RBI single in the top of the second, but A.J. Pierzynski delivered a run-scoring double to the wall in left-center in the home third to restore Atlanta's two-run edge.

The lead held until the top of the fifth, when Walker crushed his three-run homer down the left-field line. Freddie Freeman crossed the plate on a fielder's choice in the home half to tie it at 4-4.

Marte put the Pirates back in front with his two-run blast in the sixth inning.

"It was just location," said Avilan, who served up the homer. "This is the big leagues, they don't miss mistakes."

Atlanta made another dent with Juan Uribe's single to left an inning later, but a three-run top of the eighth gave Pittsburgh some distance.

Consecutive singles by Cervelli and Jordy Mercer led to a run when Sean Rodriguez grounded into a double play. Polanco kept the inning alive with a single and stole second, scoring on Marte's base knock to center. Andrew McCutchen scored him with a two-bagger to left.

Atlanta refused to go away. Maybin plated Todd Cunningham with one out in the eighth inning with a single to left, and Simmons made it 9-7 with an RBI groundout.

Josh Harrison doubled and scored on a Cervelli single in the top of the ninth to provide Mark Melancon with an insurance run, and the closer ran into trouble in the home half.

His error put runners on the corners with one out for Pedro Ciriaco, who made it 10-8 with a single to left. Melancon avoided the big inning and picked up his 17th save after getting Joey Terdoslavich to ground into a double play.

Game Notes

Atlanta has lost three straight ... The Pirates are 12-2 in their last 14 and have won four games in a row ... Atlanta hit 5-for-18 with runners in scoring position ... Both teams had 14 hits.