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Bedard, Pirates blank D-backs

Aug 7, 2012 - 3:48 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Erik Bedard allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings to guide the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a four-game set at PNC Park.

Bedard (6-12) struck out five and didn't issue a walk as he bounced back from a rough outing against the Cubs on July 30. It was just his second win in his last eight starts.

"I was throwing all my pitches for strikes, so that always helps," Bedard said. "That's what you try to do. Make some good pitches, get some outs and get the hitters back out there."

Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-4 and scored twice and Gaby Sanchez and Neil Walker each drove in a run for the Pirates, who are 13-6 over their last 19 games. Rod Barajas and Travis Snider had an RBI apiece in the win.

Wade Miley (12-7) allowed one run on six hits and struck out two over six innings to absorb the loss.

"They played very good, they executed the hit-and-run very well. We had one chance and got (Goldschmidt) over but (Montero) struck out," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said . "They outplayed us, they out-executed us. It hurts, but we need to find a way to get back on a good run."

Paul Goldschmidt had the only two hits for the Diamondbacks, who have dropped three straight tilts.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. McCutchen blooped a single into center, but Chris Young couldn't find the ball after it hit the ground and McCutchen broke for second. Young's throw short-hopped Willie Bloomquist and squirted away, allowing McCutchen to take third without a throw. He scored Sanchez's groundout.

The Bucs put runners on second and third with no outs in the fifth, but Miley worked out of the jam. After Bedard grounded out, Miley walked Starling Marte, loading the bases, but the left-hander was able to get Josh Harrison to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to keep it a one-run game.

But Pittsburgh added three in the eighth to go up 4-0. McCutchen and Sanchez singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Walker welcomed reliever Mike Zagurski with a base hit to plate McCutchen. Snider followed with a single to left to score Sanchez and Barajas' sacrifice fly plated Walker.

Chad Qualls worked a perfect ninth to close out the win.

"This was just a good win in general," Walker said. "We're not worried about who's behind us (in the standings), we're just worried about our team right now. We're playing good baseball. Any win is a good win from this point on, and we're playing good baseball so that is all that matters."

Game Notes

Bedard reached six wins for the first time since 2008...Pirates stater A.J. Burnett earned National League Player of the Week honors for the period ending August 5...Arizona placed catcher Henry Blanco on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb and claimed catcher Wil Nieves off waivers from the Colorado Rockies Monday...The Diamondbacks are 1-6 in their last seven games at PNC Park...Arizona had just one base runner make it past first base all game. Goldschmidt doubled in the second and moved to third on a ground out...The Diamondbacks will play their first ever doubleheader at Chase Field August 22 when they play host to the Miami Marlins.