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Orioles use big first inning to beat Pirates

Jun 21, 2011 - 4:05 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Adam Jones' two-run single highlighted a five-run first inning as the Baltimore Orioles took an 8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game interleague set.

Nick Markakis went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Orioles, who have won two in a row since dropping six of seven.

Jake Arrieta (9-4) gave up three runs on three hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts over five innings. He also went 1-for-2 at the plate and drove in a run.

"When you get a big lead like that you want to pitch deep into the game to give the guys in the bullpen a break," said Arrieta. "The offense did really good today."

Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with a run scored while Ronny Cedeno drove in two for the Pirates, who have dropped four straight. Charlie Morton (7-4) was lit up for seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts over just two innings.

"I was making my pitches and trying to get those groundball outs," said Morton. "Unfortunately, the balls were finding the holes out there today."

Baltimore got all the runs it needed in the first inning as the team batted through the order.

J.J. Hardy led off with a single, Markakis followed with a double and Jones chased them both home with a single to right that saw him take second. Derrek Lee followed with a single that scored Jones. Later in the inning, Robert Andino brought home Lee with a single and Arrieta helped his cause with an RBI single for a 5-0 lead.

The Orioles continued to pour it on in the second with an RBI double from Matt Wieters followed by a sacrifice fly from Mark Reynolds to make it a 7-0 contest.

The Pirates got one back in the bottom of the second when Cedeno doubled home Xavier Paul, who reached base on a fielder's choice, but Baltimore got it back in the third on a single from Hardy that saw Andino score after Jose Tabata misplayed the ball.

Pittsburgh made it an 8-3 game in the fourth as Xavier Paul singled home McCutchen and a Cedeno groundout brought home Garrett Jones.

However, Pittsburgh got just two more baserunners the rest of the game with Kevin Gregg working around a leadoff single by McCutchen in the ninth to close out the game.

Game Notes

The last time these teams met was in 2008 when the Orioles took two of three from Pittsburgh in Baltimore. June 6-8 was the last time Baltimore visited Pittsburgh...Baltimore batted 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position, but did strand nine men on base...Jeremy Guthrie pitches for Baltimore on Tuesday and will be opposed by James McDonald for Pittsburgh.