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LaRoche leads Pirates past Orioles

Jun 15, 2008 - 10:23 PM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Adam LaRoche took advantage of a tired George Sherrill.

LaRoche singled home Jason Bay in the 10th inning Sunday, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles to salvage the finale of a three-game interleague series.

"What a wild series - it feels like we should have lost all three and if feels like we should have won all three," LaRoche said. "Fortunately, we got this one today and something to take to Chicago with us."

With Sherrill (2-2) on the mound, Bay walked to open the 10th and Ryan Doumit singled. After an out, LaRoche singled to right field to snap the tie.

"My arm was dead. I didn't feel like I had anything, and it showed," Sherrill said. "I didn't feel like I could get anybody out today. It's natural. Looking back at it, I think I've thrown in seven or eight out of 12 or something like that. That's going to happen. That's just how it goes.

"I felt my shoulder stiffen about three pitches in. But that's just part of it. That's just fatigue. We'll get a day off tomorrow. I'll take it."

Brian Roberts forced extra innings with a two-out, two-run homer off closer Matt Capps (1-2) in the bottom of the ninth inning.

"I'm just trying to hit a ball hard somewhere and get on base," Roberts said. "I was looking for something I can at least drive. A home run really wasn't what I was thinking, but you certainly want to get a pitch you can drive and hopefully end up with maybe second or third or something like that."

Capps rebounded to pitch a perfect 10th to finish off the win. On Saturday he could not hold a one-run lead in the 8-7 loss to the Orioles. But after blowing his third save opportunity in four games, Capps still wanted the ball in the 10th.

"The pitch (Roberts) hit out really wasn't that bad of a pitch," Capps said. "It was a fastball down and away. I didn't know he had that kind of pop.

"He (Pirates manager John Russell) asked me how I felt and I wanted it. I have three (blown saves) now in the last week. It's the most I've ever had in my career. It's not a fun feeling, but it was big win for us as a group."

Nate McLouth opened the scoring in the third inning with his 15th homer of the season off Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera.

Jason Michaels added a two-run single later in the frame off Cabrera, who surrendered four runs and six hits in six innings. The righthander struck out two and walked five.

Pittsburgh made it 4-0 in the fifth on a run-scoring single by Jose Bautista.

Guillermo Quiroz and Aubrey Huff smacked solo homers for the Orioles off starter Paul Maholm in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, to cut the deficit in half.

"I'm really proud of the way the team played today," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. "To come back once again and have the chance to win is something I can get used to watching."

Maholm went six innings, allowing two runs and four hits, striking out four and walking three.

McLouth also made a spectacular catch in the seventh inning to rob Jay Payton and save two runs. The Orioles had runners on second and third when McLouth sprinted in and dove headfirst to snare a potential tying blooper by Payton.

"That was a huge play for us," Russell said. "Nate continues to lift us in different ways all the time."