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 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Pirates starter A.J. Burnett (Central Arkansas Christian) shut out the Astros for seven innings before Chris Johnson and Carlos Corporan each homered in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-2 and bring on Brad Lincoln 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, 23, who was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis, to reach the majors and he didn’t disappoint, hitting the first pitch from rookie Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) to left-center field for a leadoff home run. 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 home run 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 extended Houston’s skid to a season-worst 10 games and the Astros, who own the league’s worst record, have dropped 23 of their past 25 games.
Burnett (12-3) allowed 4 hits and a walk with 5 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings to improve to 11-1 since a loss on May 2.
Marte’s second hit came on a single to left field in the fifth inning. He hit .286 with 12 home runs and 61 RBI in 98 games this season for Indianapolis.
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 5 hits and 5 runs in 6 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.
Burnett still faced the minimum in that inning after J.D. Martinez grounded into a double play.
NATIONALS 8, BREWERS 2 Edwin Jackson pitched seven scoreless innings and Steve Lombardozzi hit a three-run triple in visiting Washington’s victory over Milwaukee.
CARDINALS 7, DODGERS 4 David Freese and Matt Carpenter each had three of a seasonhigh 18 hits for host St Louis as Los Angeles lost its second consecutive game since acquiring Hanley Ramirez. Jake Westbrook (9-8) pitched seven innings, lasting at least that long for the third consecutive start. He allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts.
American League
INDIANS 5, TIGERS 3 Asdrubal Cabrera singled home the go-ahead run in a four-run seventh inning as host Cleveland rallied to beat Detroit ace Justin Verlander.
ORIOLES 6, RAYS 2 Chris Tillman (3-1) took a three-hitter into the seventh inning, Chris Davis homered and drove in four runs, and host Baltimore beat Tampa Bay to avoid a three-game sweep. Nick Markakis had two hits for the Orioles, who had scored only one run in each of their three previous games. It was just the second time in 10 games that Baltimore scored more than four runs.
BLUE JAYS 10, ATHLETICS 4 Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run home run, Kelly Johnson also homered and Toronto ended visiting Oakland’s seven-game winning streak.
Thursday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 7, LA Dodgers 4 Pittsburgh 5, Houston 3 Washington 8, Milwaukee 2 NY Mets at Arizona, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 6, Tampa Bay 2 Toronto 10, Oakland 4 Cleveland 5, Detroit 3 Kansas City at Seattle, (n)
Sports, Pages 24 on 07/27/2012