Jeff Locke pitched seven innings for the first time since July 19 and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Miami Marlins by a 7-2 score.
Both teams scored in the first inning.
Josh Harrison led off with a walk. Two batters later, Andrew McCutchen recorded his 32nd double of the season, placing the first run on the board.
Locke (7-8) was one strike away from getting out of the first inning, however, he allowed a solo home run to Martin Prado on a 2-2 count.
The Pirates pulled away with a six-run second inning and took advantage of Chris Narveson [1-1], who had not thrown 50 pitches in a major league game this season coming into the game. He threw 79 pitches in 3.2 innings of work.
In the second inning, Michael Morse led off with a double against his former team and Neil Walker batted him in with a double of his own. Chris Stewart then added a single that scored what proved to be the game-winning run.
Three batters later, Starling Marte recorded a single, which added a fourth run to the Pirates cause.
Andrew McCutchen then hit a 414-foot home run, a three-run shot to conclude the Pirates scoring. With the home run McCutchen, now has five consecutive 20-home run seasons.
The Marlins also scored in the second inning as J.T. Realmuto recorded an RBI groundout.
Locke had mini jams in the third and fourth innings but stranded a runner after a two-out double and got a double play to end the latter threat.
After Locke departed, Joe Blanton pitched the final two innings and struck out three batters without surrendering a hit.
The four-game series concludes Thursday when Gerrit Cole [14-7 2.49 ERA] faces Justin Nicolino [2-1 3.77 ERA].
Photo credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
