Marlins 3 - 4 Pirates
Final
  for this game

Pirates edge Marlins; McCutchen hitting .500 this month

Jul 21, 2012 - 2:47 AM

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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - After seeing his 17-game hitting streak come to an end Wednesday, Neil Walker started a new one Friday and helped Pittsburgh tally another comeback win.

Walker smacked two hits, including a go-ahead solo homer in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Pirates took a 4-3 victory over the Miami Marlins in the opener a three-game set.

It was the 27th come-from-behind win for the Bucs this season, second in MLB only to the New York Yankees (29).

Andrew McCutchen recorded two more hits, raising his average in July to a preposterous .500 (28-for-56). The reigning NL Player of the Month has seven round-trippers and 14 RBI in 14 games thus far in July.

The Marlins put the tying run on third in the ninth, but Joel Hanrahan struck out Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio to notch his 27th save of the year.

Kevin Correia (7-6), who has won a career-high five straight decisions, allowed three runs on eight hits over five frames, while Pedro Alvarez banged his 20th homer of the season.

Ricky Nolasco (8-8) fanned seven, but surrendered four runs on eights hits and a walk in six innings for Miami, which has dropped three straight and four of its last six.

The Marlins, who went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, are 1-for-23 with RISP during their losing skid.

Nolasco executed a suicide squeeze to perfection in the fourth inning, giving the Marlins a 3-1 cushion, but the Bucs plated three unanswered runs over the next two frames to take the lead -- two in the home half and another in the fifth.

Alvarez belted a one-out solo shot over the lower wall in right-center, and after Rod Barajas cracked a ground-rule double to left, he scored when Clint Barmes poked a single into left-center, knotting the contest at 3-3 after four.

Walker hammered a solo blast over the 21-foot high wall in right in the fifth, giving the Pirates a 4-3 edge.

The quartet of Chris Resop, Jared Hughes, Jason Grilli and Hanrahan fired four scoreless innings in relief to seal the outcome.

The Marlins opened the scoring in the first. Reyes ripped a leadoff homer just left of the Clemente Wall and into the seats in right-center. Up next, Bonifacio slapped a single the other way to left, then stole second and third before scoring on Carlos Lee's groundout, giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead.

After McCutchen struck out with men on first and second with none away in the bottom half, Garrett Jones came through with an RBI base hit. He chopped one through the hole on the right side to bring home Alex Presley, who led off the frame with a walk, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Game Notes

The Pirates moved to 22-6 at home since May 12, the best home mark in the majors during the stretch...Pittsburgh is 32-16 over its last 48 games...The Bucs have homered in 10 straight games...The Marlins had their six-game winning streak at PNC Park snapped...Bonifacio has 24 stolen bases this season.






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