Cleveland, OH – Pedro Alvarez recorded his third career multi-homer game, teaming with Casey McGehee to drive in seven combined runs in a 9-2 Pirates victory over the Indians.
Alvarez, who was a heralded prospect only a few years ago before teetering with a bust label in the last couple seasons, helped Pittsburgh score nine or more runs for only the third time this season (64 games).
The majors' worst offensive team snapped a four-game losing streak in the process.
"It's just what happens some times," remarked McGehee about the team's offensive outburst. "I think it's just the product of just trying to take what the pitcher gives you."
A.J. Burnett (7-2) accomplished something on Saturday that no Pittsburgh pitcher has since the days of East Division championships and Barry Bonds home runs. After allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings, Burnett won his sixth straight start, the first Pirate to do so since Doug Drabek in his Cy Young Award- winning season of 1990.
Asdrubal Cabrera homered for the Indians, who have lost four of five. Ubaldo Jimenez (6-5), coming off his first walk-free start of the season, issued two free passes while giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings.
Michael Brantley, who came into the game riding a 22-game hit streak, went 0- for-3.
Cabrera's homer opened the scoring in the first inning, but Alvarez tied the score with a leadoff shot in the second.
An inning later, Neil Walker drew a one-out walk, stole second, moved to third on an infield single and scored on Garrett Jones' single to right.
Casey Kotchman tied the game again with a solo homer in the Cleveland fifth, but Jimenez failed to shut down the Pirates in the home half. Following a leadoff single by Jones, McGehee crushed a homer to left that put the visitors ahead for good.
"I didn't think it was bad," said Jimenez about his start. "I was able to compete out there. I only made one mistake with a slider all day and they made me pay for it."
An Alex Presley homer off Tony Sipp in the seventh provided the Pirates with a three-run cushion, and Pittsburgh poured on four more in the ninth with a McGehee two-run single and Alvarez two-run homer off Nick Hagadone.
Game Notes
Jimenez recorded six strikeouts...Burnett had two strikeouts and four walks...Brantley's 22-game hit streak is the longest in the majors this season...McGehee has two or more hits in four of his last five games.
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