HOUSTON —
Prized prospect Starling Marte homered on his first major league pitch and the Pittsburgh Pirates jumped out to an early lead before holding on for a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night.
A.J. Burnett (12-3) shut out the Astros for seven innings before Chris Johnson and Carlos Corporan connected for solo homers in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-2, bringing Brad Lincoln out of the bullpen with one out.
Johnson hit a two-out RBI single off Joel Hanrahan in the ninth, but Hanrahan struck out Brian Bogusevic for his 30th save.
Pirates fans couldn’t wait for Marte, who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, to reach the majors and he didn’t disappoint, taking rookie Dallas Keuchel’s first pitch for a leadoff home run to left-center. Marte was promoted to improve the Pirates’ production in left field, where Alex Presley and Drew Sutton have previously manned the position.
Garrett Jones added a two-run homer later in the first inning, and former Astro Clint Barmes had a two-run shot in the second to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 5-0.
The loss extends Houston’s skid to a season-worst 10 games and the Astros, who own the league’s worst record, have dropped 23 of their last 25 games.
Burnett allowed four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 7 1-3 innings to improve to 11-1 since a loss on May 2.
The 23-year-old Marte’s second hit came on a single to left field in the fifth inning. He hit .286 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs in 98 games this season for Indianapolis.
He said before the game that when his minor league manager called him into the office Wednesday to inform him of his call-up, he tricked him by saying that he didn’t run hard enough on a double that day and so he wasn’t going to play him in the next game. He then quickly ended the joke by telling him he’d be playing for the Pirates instead.
Marte, who stole 21 bases this season in the minors, was caught stealing to end the fifth inning.
Keuchel (1-3) settled down after the first two innings, allowing just one hit and walking one in his last four innings. He gave up five hits and five runs in six innings.
Burnett didn’t allow a hit until Corporan singled to left field with one out in the third. He walked Johnson with one out in the fifth, but didn’t allow another hit until Scott Moore singled with one out in the seventh.
Pirates
Marte sparkles in debut; Bucs win
- Pirates
-
-
Bucs enjoy hockey sideshow after 4-2 win over Cubs
It was hard to tell whether the Pittsburgh Pirates were heading on a road trip or getting ready for a Stanley Cup playoff game after beating the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Thursday for their fourth straight win.
-
Liriano dominates as Pirates edge Cubs, 1-0
Francisco Liriano continued his torrid start, scattering two hits over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on Wednesday night.
-
Pirates beat Cubs, 5-4, behind Snider’s grand slam
Travis Snider hit a pinch-hit grand slam during a five-run sixth and the Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled a strong return to the mound for Matt Garza with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.
-
Locke, Pirates shut down Astros, 1-0
Jeff Locke didn’t have his best stuff Sunday. He didn’t need it to shut down the majors’ worst team.
-
Astros edge Pirates 4-2 in 11 innings
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen had been automatic with late-inning leads. Until Saturday night.
Jason Castro led off the 11th inning with a double and scored the go-ahead run on a close play at the plate as the Houston Astros topped the Pirates 4-2. -
Dropped fly ball gives Pirates 5-4 win over Astros
Jimmy Paredes dropped Russell Martin’s bases-loaded fly ball when he collided with second baseman Jake Elmore with two outs in the ninth inning, the second missed catch by a Houston right fielder, and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied past the Astros 5-4 Friday night.
-
Snider powers Pirates past Brewers, 7-1
Travis Snider homered for the first time in nine months and drove in three runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the reeling Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 on Thursday night.
Snider finished 3 for 5, including a 458-foot blast off Hiram Burgos (1-2) in the sixth inning that gave the Pirates the lead. -
Rodriguez, Pirates silence Brewers, 3-1
Wandy Rodriguez allowed one run over seven strong innings and Neil Walker hit a two-run single as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Rodriguez (4-2) gave up six hits, walking one and striking out five. -
McCutchen homers in 12th as Pirates top Brewers
Andrew McCutchen homered leading off the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
-
Brewers snap skid, drop sloppy Pirates, 5-1
Marco Estrada allowed three hits over seven innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the sloppy Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Monday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
- More Pirates Headlines
-
Bucs enjoy hockey sideshow after 4-2 win over Cubs
