Pirates-Padres: Ross Ohlendorf Pitches Well-ish, Adam LaRoche Homers Twice

SAN DIEGO, April 26—The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the San Diego Padres 8-3 on Sunday, getting to Jake Peavy early, to take two of three in the weekend series.  Pittsburgh didn’t waste a chance to make up some ground on St. Louis, who lost for only the third time in their last 10 games.

Ross Ohlendorf (2-2) got into trouble early, giving up a single to Brian Giles followed by a homer to Adrian Gonzalez deep to right field for an early 2-0 deficit, and surrendered an eighth-inning solo homer but was otherwise solid in getting his second victory of the season.

In the top of the second, Adam LaRoche walked to get things going.  Andy LaRoche stretched his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to right.  Next, Robinzon Diaz, in his first start since being called up from AAA Indianapolis, grounded out to first, advancing the runners to second and third.  Another call up, Brian Bixler, playing in his first game for Jack Wilson, who is on the 15-day DL, struck out to end the inning.  Peavy, throwing hard, had four strikeouts through two.

In the bottom of the second, Kevin Kouzmanoff walked and advanced to second on a hit-and-run ground out to short.  Chris Burke then walked, and Peavy sacrifice bunted the runners to second and third.  In trouble for the second time in two innings, Ohlendorf kept his head in, striking out Jody Gerut to end the threat.

Nyjer Morgan was caught stealing on a questionable call after getting a single, for the only action in the third for the Pirates.

In the fourth, Brandon Moss singled and Adam LaRoche walked, and the two runners eventually advanced on a wild pitch.  Eric Hinske was then called out on strikes on another questionable call, a pitch that looked to be well inside the plate.  Next, after Andy LaRoche struck out, Diaz drove the first pitch for a two-RBI single to right, tying the game at two. Bixler then walked before Ohlendorf grounded out to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Morgan hitting 0.329 on the year, singled to get things going and Vazquez walked. Adam LaRoche followed with his fourth home run of the year, a three-run shot to straightaway right field, putting the Pirates up 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Drew Macias pinch hit for Peavy and lined a double down the right field line but was thrown out at third when he tried to stretch it to a triple.  Ohlendorf had calmed down since the two-hit trouble that scored runs in the first inning.  The only other hit had been to Macias, who was thrown out.

In the top of the eighth, Hinske and Adam LaRoche got things started with consecutive singles, and Diaz sacrifice bunted to advance the runners.  Bixler then came up and doubled over the head of Brian Giles in right field, who was playing in a bit, scoring the two baserunners, Pirates 7-2.

Ohlendorf came on to pitch in the bottom of the eighth but maybe he should have stayed in the dugout.  Edgar Rodriguez came in and hit the first pitch over the left center field wall, making it 7-3.  John Grabow came on in relief and retired the next three batters on the back of a couple of good catches, including a highlight-film, over-the-shoulder catch by Moran.

In the top of the ninth, Adam LaRoche hit is second homer of the game, his fifth of the season, getting back the run from the Padres.  LaRoche was hitless in the first two games of the series.

In the bottom of the ninth Brandon Moss made an acrobatic sliding catch in left field, saving what would have been a double. 

The Pirates performed well in all facets of the game.  The Pirates outscored the Padres 21-8 in the series.

Pittsburgh finished with eight runs on 11 hits, and San Diego got three runs on five hits.

The Pirates (11-7) are one and a half games out of first place and have won seven of their last nine. The Pirates lead the Majors with 12 quality starts in 18 games.

This is the Pirates' best eighteen-game start since 2002.  

The Pirates start a three game series against the Brewers in Milwaukee on Tuesday.