Atlanta, GA – Alex Presley had two hits, scored twice and knocked in a run as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Atlanta Braves, 4-2, in the second portion of a four-game series from Turner Field.
Pedro Alvarez added a pair of hits and an RBI, while Erik Bedard (1-4) earned his first win as a Pirate, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in Pittsburgh's sixth win in 10 games.
"We did a good job of getting some timely hits," remarked Alvarez. "Hopefully we can keep it going."
Bedard signed as a free agent with the Pirates in the offseason and had lost nine of his last 10 decisions going back to last year.
Joel Hanrahan worked a perfect ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.
Randall Delgado (2-2) gave up four runs on eight hits and three walks through 4 1/3 innings as Atlanta had its three-game win streak snapped.
"Our offense just didn't do it today," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "We had some opportunities in multiple innings but we just couldn't get the big hits."
The Pirates got an early run when Presley led off the game with a single that deflected off the glove of Braves third baseman Juan Francisco, advanced to second on a Jose Tabata groundout, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly to center field.
After Atlanta stranded a runner on second in the bottom of the first, Pittsburgh added to its lead in the second inning. Rod Barajas started the rally with a one-out single and moved to second on Bedard's sacrifice bunt before coming home on Presley's double into the left-field corner.
Tabata followed with a base hit to right to score Presley and give the Pirates a 3-0 advantage.
A Neil Walker single and Alvarez's double gave Pittsburgh runners on second and third with one out in the third. But Clint Barmes went down swinging and following an intentional walk to Barajas, Bedard was retired on a liner to left-center field to end the inning.
The Braves got on the board in the bottom of the frame when Martin Prado hit a sinking liner to center field that Andrew McCutchen missed with a diving attempt for a double and crossed the plate two batters later on a Dan Uggla base hit.
Pittsburgh, though, got that run back in the fifth inning on back-to-back one- out doubles by Walker and Alvarez, knocking Delgado out of the game.
Livan Hernandez entered in relief and stranded Alvarez at third to keep it a 4-1 game.
Hernandez then led off the home fifth with a four-pitch walk that was followed by a Michael Bourn infield single. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball by Barajas during a Freddie Freeman at-bat, but Freeman would eventually strike out before Uggla also went down swinging to end the inning.
Jason Heyward led off the sixth with a double off of reliever Chris Resop, stole third and came home on a Francisco groundout to first to cut into the Pirates' lead.
Tyler Pastornicky followed with a triple to right field, but pinch-hitter Chipper Jones grounded out to second to keep the score 4-2.
The Braves would not threaten again as Juan Cruz and Jason Grilli each faced the minimum in their innings on the mound, and Hanrahan fanned Francisco and Pastornicky before pinch-hitter Eric Hinske lifted a ball to deep right field that Tabata grabbed with a leaping catch at the wall to end the game.
Game Notes
Braves catcher Brian McCann sat out the game with a right intercostal strain he suffered in the fifth inning of Friday's contest...Presley extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games...Bedard improved to 1-1 in three career starts against Atlanta...The Pirates are now 9-2 when scoring more than one run in a game this year and 6-0 when scoring four or more times.
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