Phoenix, AZ – Travis Snider and Andrew McCutchen each drove in two runs and Garrett Jones added a solo homer as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Chase Field.
Starling Marte had two hits, including a triple and scored two runs for the Pirates, who ended a four-game skid.
Starter Wandy Rodriguez left the game due to tightness in his left hamstring after just 2 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs -- one earned -- on two hits. He was replaced by Jeanmar Gomez (1-0), who gave up one run on four hits over 1 2/3 innings in relief to earn the victory.
Paul Goldschmidt had an RBI double and Alfredo Marte and Wil Nieves each drove in one run in the setback. Right-handed starter Trevor Cahill (0-2) gave up four runs on four hits over five innings. He also struck out seven batters and walked three.
"Tonight I just didn't feel like I had it," Cahill said. "It was kind of a battle."
In the fifth inning, Starling Marte lined a shot down the left-field line for a triple with one out. After Neil Walker was hit by a pitch, McCutchen broke a 3-3 tie with a sacrifice fly to right field which easily plated the speedy Marte.
Jones added some insurance in the eighth with a solo shot to right to make it 5-3.
Pittsburgh was dealt a blow in the third inning as Rodriguez left the game with a hamstring injury. The lefty appeared to suffer from cramp-like symptoms. After stretching and meeting with trainers, he walked off the field on his own power. The team announced via Twitter that he will be re- evaluated on Tuesday.
"The next pitch I threw was a breaking ball and I felt it," Rodriguez recalled. "I told my trainer and the manager that I want to go out because I wanted to protect my next start."
Gomez took over in relief, but gave up a single and walked a batter to load the bases with one out.
Goldschmidt hit a deep sacrifice fly to left driving in one run then Alfredo Marte singled up the middle for his first major league hit, which also plated a run to tie the game at 3-3.
With two down in the second, Nieves singled to center scoring Goldschmidt, who doubled to lead off the frame, to make it a 3-1 contest.
The visitors struck early in the first inning as McCutchen plated Starling Marte with a double to left to make it 1-0. McCutchen moved to third on a groundout before Russell Martin walked, then stole second. Pedro Alvarez drew a walk and Snider followed with a liner through the right side to score McCutchen and Martin to make it 3-0.
Game Notes
Arizona had won four straight and was coming off a sweep of Milwaukee. The Diamondbacks last started 6-1 in 2000, which was also the best seven-game start in franchise history ... In his debut versus the Chicago Cubs last Wednesday, Pittsburgh's only previous victory, Rodriguez tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings and allowed just two hits ... In Game 2 of the series on Tuesday, the Pirates send James McDonald (0-1) to the hill versus Arizona's Brandon McCarthy (0-0).
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