8/5 Recap | Pirates 6 Reds 2

After two tough losses on Friday and Saturday night, the Pirates were able to avoid a sweep in Cincinnati and beat the Reds on the shoulders of A.J. Burnett. Burnett continued his unreal season picking up his 14th win of the season, while nearly pitching his second straight complete game. He allowed only three hits (including a cheap home run to Drew Stubbs in the third which ended up being the last hit for Cincinnati) and at one point set down eighteen straight Reds. After walking two guys with two outs in the ninth, Joel Hanrahan picked up a one out save, his 32nd, to close it out.

The team racked up fifteen hits and were started up by a two run homer by Neil Walker in the second inning. Starling Marte had a huge, two out, two strike, two run triple off the right field wall in the fourth inning. It was his first career triple and went on to be the hit the Pirates needed to win the game. Josh Harrison, Starling Marte, Garrett Jones, and Clint Barmes all had two-hit games and Gaby Sanchez picked up the first two hits in his Pirates career. Neil Walker finished the game with three hits of his own and Andrew McCutchen broke out of his home run and RBI slump in the ninth inning with a solo home run.

It is always nice to see every position player in your starting lineup register a hit and the Pirates were able to do that today. A.J. Burnett continues to look dominant and the Pirates will open up an 11-game home stand against Arizona, San Diego, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.