Big Split | Pirates 5 Braves 2

After back-to-back walk-off losses and an exhausting first 3 games with the Atlanta Braves, the Pirates were able to bounce back and earn a split Thursday night.

Kevin Correia bounced back nicely from his rough start Saturday night and threw 6.1 innings giving up 2 runs (1 earned) on 9 hits while striking out 3 and walking 1. The ridiculous home/away splits just get more ridiculous, and Correia has his 12th win of the year.

The offense tonight came early when Correia helped his own cause with an RBI single that scored Lyle Overbay (who walked 3 times) in the 2nd inning. Derek Lowe settled down after that until a rain delay in the 4th inning, putting up zeroes easily in the 3rd and 4th before the Pirates got to him again in the 5th. Andrew McCutchen doubled and Pedro Alvarez grounded out, both bringing in runs to give the Pirates the lead for good.

Correia gave up the unearned run in the 6th when Freddie Freeman got on with a double and scored on Ronny Cedeno's throwing error, but Joe Beimel came in to get the last 2 outs of the inning and even pitched into the 8th before Joel Hanrahan took over for a 4 out save. That wasn't before Andrew McCutchen could officially end his slump with a 2-run homer in the 9th that gave the Pirates a 3-run cushion and raised his batting average to .279 and gave him 15 dingers on the year.

A huge win for the Pirates. It would not have been great to lose 3 of 4 to the Braves heading into a 3-game set with the Phillies. Now the Pirates sit at 5-5 in this streak of 13 games against tough competition, although their bats have struggled the entire way.

Tomorrow it's Charlie Morton and Roy Halladay to continue the 2011 battle for Pennsylvania. The Pirates took 2 of 3 from the Phillies earlier in the year in PNC and it'll be a real test to see if they can win another series this weekend. Check back tomorrow for lots of coverage. Let's Go Bucs.