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ATLANTA — James McDonald and the Pittsburgh Pirates keep finding ways to win.

McDonald struck out a career-high nine in 5 1/3 scoreless innings and the Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Monday night to keep pace in the tight NL Central race.

The Pirates are tied with St. Louis for first place in the division, a half-game ahead of Milwaukee, which was off.

The Braves outhit the Pirates 9-5, but Pittsburgh took advantage of its few scoring chances.

Braves starter Tim Hudson issued three walks in seven innings — and each of the three scored.

“Championship teams, they make good outs,” said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. “They find a way to score without hits. We were able to find a way of doing that tonight, and we have to.”

McDonald (6-4) had the most strikeouts by a Pirates pitcher in almost two years. He gave up eight hits but did not walk a batter and ended each of the first five innings with strikeouts.

“It’s really important,” McDonald said of avoiding walks. “It’s been an issue for me this year. I told myself in the second half I was going to keep my walks down.”

McDonald has not allowed a run in two straight wins. He said he is focused on being more aggressive on the mound and staying ahead in the count.

“Being ahead is a big key for me,” McDonald said.

“They’re a good-hitting team. They’re going to get their hits. The thing is to keep the damage to a minimum.”

Joel Hanrahan pitched a perfect ninth for his 29th save in 30 chances.

Atlanta’s Chipper Jones came off the disabled list with two hits, including a homer off Daniel McCutchen in the eighth.

McDonald struck out Alex Gonzalez to end the second inning with runners on first and third. The right-hander struck out Freddie Freeman to end the third with runners on second and third. He fanned Gonzalez again to end the fourth following Nate McLouth’s second hit.

The Braves loaded the bases against McDonald with one out in the sixth. Right-hander Chris Resop, who began his career with the Braves, took over and ended the threat on McLouth’s popup and Gonzalez’s third strikeout.

“I guess I was a little more pumped up than normal, going against Atlanta,” Resop said. “It’s nice to be in Pittsburgh having success and I guess proving to people I can pitch.”

Two walks hurt Hudson (9-7) in Pittsburgh’s two-run second inning.

After striking out the side in the first inning, Hudson walked Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez to open the second. The runners advanced on Lyle Overbay’s fly ball to center before McCutchen scored on Ronny Cedeno’s groundout to third base. Alvarez scored on Michael McKenry’s single to left.

Andrew McCutchen’s single drove in Garrett Jones in the sixth for a 3-0 lead.

That was all McDonald would need.

Hudson gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in seven innings. He had eight strikeouts in his first loss since June 15.

“They’re a good club. They’re not in first place by accident,” Hudson said.

“They made their hits count tonight. I feel like I has too good of stuff to give them free passes. You’ve got to make them earn it. I’m very disappointed on the outcome because my stuff was really good.”

Each team had a third baseman return to its active roster as a starter.

Jones, who had arthroscopic surgery on July 9 to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, returned with two hits, including his ninth homer, and a stolen base.

Alvarez had one hit and a walk in his first game back from Triple-A Indianapolis. Alvarez was recalled when the Pirates placed outfielder Alex Presley on the 15-day disabled list with a left hand contusion.

Alvarez bobbled leadoff hitter Martin Prado’s grounder for an error on his first chance in the first inning.

Dan Uggla’s sixth-inning single stretched his career-best hitting streak to 16 games.

According to STATS, LLC, Uggla’s .195 batting average is the lowest for any player since 1946 to carry a hitting streak of 15 games or longer after at least 100 games. An error against Cincinnati’s Miguel Cairo on Sunday was changed to a hit for Uggla on Monday, keeping the streak alive.

The start of the game was delayed 2 hours, 2 minutes by rain.

Notes

• McDonald’s nine strikeouts were the most for the Pirates since RHP Russ Ohlendorf had 11 against St. Louis on Sept. 5, 2009.
• OF Wilkin Ramirez was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to clear a roster spot for Jones.
• An X-ray on Monday showed Braves OF Jordan Schafer has a chip fracture in his middle left finger. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.
• Manager Clint Hurdle said he had no timetable on Presley’s return.
• Andrew McCutchen had his first stolen base since June 24.

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ATLANTA (AP)—James McDonald(notes) and the Pittsburgh Pirates keep finding ways
to win.

McDonald struck out a career-high nine in 5 1-3 scoreless innings and the
Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Monday night to keep pace in the tight NL
Central race.

The Pirates are tied with St. Louis for first place in the division, a
half-game ahead of Milwaukee, which was off.

The Braves outhit the Pirates 9-5, but Pittsburgh took advantage of its few
scoring chances.

Braves starter Tim Hudson(notes) issued three walks in seven innings—and each of
the three scored.

“Championship teams, they make good outs,” said Pirates manager Clint
Hurdle. “They find a way to score without hits. We were able to find a way of
doing that tonight, and we have to.”

McDonald (6-4) had the most strikeouts by a Pirates pitcher in almost two
years. He gave up eight hits but did not walk a batter and ended each of the
first five innings with strikeouts.

“It’s really important,” McDonald said of avoiding walks. “It’s been an
issue for me this year. I told myself in the second half I was going to keep my
walks down.”

McDonald has not allowed a run in two straight wins. He said he is focused
on being more aggressive on the mound and staying ahead in the count.

“Being ahead is a big key for me,” McDonald said.

“They’re a good-hitting team. They’re going to get their hits. The thing is
to keep the damage to a minimum.”

Joel Hanrahan(notes) pitched a perfect ninth for his 29th save in 30 chances.

Atlanta’s Chipper Jones(notes) came off the disabled list with two hits, including
a homer off Daniel McCutchen(notes) in the eighth.

McDonald struck out Alex Gonzalez(notes) to end the second inning with runners on
first and third. The right-hander struck out Freddie Freeman(notes) to end the third
with runners on second and third. He fanned Gonzalez again to end the fourth
following Nate McLouth’s(notes) second hit.

The Braves loaded the bases against McDonald with one out in the sixth.
Right-hander Chris Resop(notes), who began his career with the Braves, took over and
ended the threat on McLouth’s popup and Gonzalez’s third strikeout.

“I guess I was a little more pumped up than normal, going against
Atlanta,” Resop said. “It’s nice to be in Pittsburgh having success and I
guess proving to people I can pitch.”

Two walks hurt Hudson (9-7) in Pittsburgh’s two-run second inning.

After striking out the side in the first inning, Hudson walked Andrew
McCutchen(notes) and Pedro Alvarez(notes) to open the second. The runners advanced on Lyle
Overbay’s(notes) fly ball to center before McCutchen scored on Ronny Cedeno’s(notes) groundout
to third base. Alvarez scored on Michael McKenry’s(notes) single to left.

Andrew McCutchen’s single drove in Garrett Jones(notes) in the sixth for a 3-0
lead.

That was all McDonald would need.

Hudson gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in seven innings. He
had eight strikeouts in his first loss since June 15.

“They’re a good club. They’re not in first place by accident,” Hudson
said.

“They made their hits count tonight. I feel like I has too good of stuff to
give them free passes. You’ve got to make them earn it. I’m very disappointed on
the outcome because my stuff was really good.”

Each team had a third baseman return to its active roster as a starter.

Jones, who had arthroscopic surgery on July 9 to repair torn cartilage in
his right knee, returned with two hits, including his ninth homer, and a stolen
base.

Alvarez had one hit and a walk in his first game back from Triple-A
Indianapolis. Alvarez was recalled when the Pirates placed outfielder Alex
Presley(notes) on the 15-day disabled list with a left hand contusion.

Alvarez bobbled leadoff hitter Martin Prado’s(notes) grounder for an error on his
first chance in the first inning.

Dan Uggla’s(notes) sixth-inning single stretched his career-best hitting streak to
16 games.

According to STATS, LLC, Uggla’s .195 batting average is the lowest for any
player since 1946 to carry a hitting streak of 15 games or longer after at least
100 games. An error against Cincinnati’s Miguel Cairo(notes) on Sunday was changed to a
hit for Uggla on Monday, keeping the streak alive.

The start of the game was delayed 2 hours, 2 minutes by rain.

NOTES: McDonald’s nine strikeouts were the most for the Pirates since RHP
Russ Ohlendorf had 11 against St. Louis on Sept. 5, 2009. … OF Wilkin Ramirez(notes)
was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to clear a roster spot for Jones. … An X-ray
on Monday showed Braves OF Jordan Schafer(notes) has a chip fracture in his middle left
finger. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. … Manager Clint Hurdle
said he had no timetable on Presley’s return. … Andrew McCutchen had his first
stolen base since June 24.

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PITTSBURGH — Chipper Jones was concerned when saw Brooks Conrad take to the on-deck circle in the seventh inning.

“I was like, ’That’s a mistake,”’ the 19-year Atlanta Braves veteran said. “’We need to keep him for later.”’

Conrad came through once again after manager Fredi Gonzalez waited for a bigger stage to insert him into the game.

Conrad hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the 11th inning and Atlanta topped the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Wednesday.

The homer, into a sliver of seats in right-center with pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez on first and one out, was Conrad’s fifth career pinch-hit homer.

“He came up in the perfect spot and did what we all know he can,” Jones said.

Eric Hinske also had a solo homer for the Braves, who have won three of four and got a strong outing from rookie Mike Minor in a spot start for Tim Hudson.

Steve Pearce homered for the first time in 20 months and went 3 for 5 with two RBIs for Pittsburgh, which has lost three straight.

Five of Conrad’s 11 career home runs have been on pinch hits, including three — two of them grand slams — last season. He had a walk-off single against St. Louis on May 1, and his only hit since then drove in the tying run with him scoring the go-ahead run in the seventh inning May 18.

“It’s just so much fun, especially in the pinch-hit role, getting up there with the game on the line and you’ve got a chance to drive in the winning run for your team,” Conrad said.

Before Conrad hit a 1-2 pitch from Jeff Karstens (3-3) for his first home run of the season, he had been hitting only .130 with one extra-base hit this season.

“He’s been squaring some balls up all year and he hasn’t had much to show for it,” Braves catcher Brian McCann said. “But man, that’s what he does. He gets big hits and drives in big runs and helps us win a lot of games.”

Minor allowed one run in 5 2-3 innings, Jonny Venters got Pearce to ground into a double play with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning and George Sherrill (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th for the Braves.

Craig Kimbrel retired the Pirates in order in the 11th for his 14th save.

Hinske, whose .370 batting average in May ranked second in the National League entering the game, gave Atlanta the lead in the sixth with his homer deep to right, his fifth of the season.

Pearce’s homer down the left-field line in the seventh off Eric O’Flaherty prevented Minor from getting his first win of the season.

Minor, recalled Tuesday night to start in place of Hudson (stiff back), was making his second start of the season. Minor, the No. 7 overall draft pick in 2009, allowed seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

“The deeper he got into the game, the better he got, really, with his command,” Gonzalez said. “And that’s good to see.”

The start was Minor’s 10th in the majors and second this season. He allowed five runs and seven hits and four walks in 4 1-3 innings April 6, but was ranked second in the Triple-A International League in strikeouts.

“I didn’t put as much pressure on myself this time,” Minor said.

“I knew I had the stuff; I was getting guys out in Triple-A and I’d done it before here last year.”

Pittsburgh’s James McDonald gave up hits to the first three batters of the game — including Jones’ RBI single that scored Jordan Schafer — but retired 11 of the next 12.

“You don’t want game to let the game get out of hand,” McDonald said. “It’s my job to compete and allow the team to stay in the game.”

McDonald, who hadn’t allowed a run in either of his previous two home starts, allowed two runs and six hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Twenty of the 32 runs McDonald has allowed this season have come via the home run.

After watching his team having not scored a run since Saturday, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle shuffled his lineup, dropping Andrew McCutchen from leadoff to No. 3 in the order, bumping Jose Tabata to leadoff and inserting Pearce into the No. 2 spot.

Pearce drove in Pittsburgh’s first run in 22 innings in the third with a single to left after Tabata had led off with a single and stole second.

But he didn’t come through when he could have ended the game in the ninth.

“I rolled over on a pitch,” he said. “It was frustrating. We were all set up to win the game and I did the last thing you’d want to do in that situation. The tough part is that I’d been swinging the bat well all day, but I couldn’t come through when I needed to the most.”

Notes: Atlanta has four pinch-hit home runs this season. … Normally Pittsburgh’s fifth starter, Karstens was in the game because the Pirates pushed his next scheduled start back two days to Sunday. … A day after 2B Dan Uggla was not in the Braves’ lineup for the first time this season, teammate OF Martin Prado did not start for the first time. Similar to Uggla the day before, Prado entered the game in the eighth inning. Prado struck out in the 10th. … The struggling Uggla had a rough game, going 0 for 5 with three strikeouts, an error and being part of a miscommunication that was called an error on SS Alex Gonzalez in the ninth.

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PITTSBURGH (AP)—Brooks Conrad(notes) hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the 11th
inning and the Atlanta Braves topped the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Wednesday.

With pinch-runner Wilkin Ramirez(notes) on first and one out, Conrad hit a 1-2
pitch from Jeff Karstens(notes) (3-3) into a sliver of seats in right-center for his
first home run of the season and fifth career pinch-hit homer.

Eric Hinske(notes) hit a solo homer and Jordan Schafer(notes) and Alex Gonzalez(notes) each had
two hits for the Braves, who have won three of four and got a strong outing from
rookie Mike Minor(notes) in a spot start for Tim Hudson(notes).

Steve Pearce(notes) homered for the first time in 20 months and went 3 for 5 with
two RBIs for Pittsburgh, which has lost three straight.

Minor allowed one run in 5 2-3 innings, Jonny Venters(notes) got Pearce to ground
into a double play with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning and
George Sherrill(notes) (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th for the Braves.

Craig Kimbrel(notes) retired the Pirates in order in the 11th for his 14th save.

Hinske, whose .370 batting average in May ranked second in the National
League entering the game, gave Atlanta the lead in the sixth with his homer deep
to right, his fifth of the season.

Pearce’s homer down the left-field line in the seventh prevented Minor from
getting his first win of the season.

Minor, recalled Tuesday night to start in place of Hudson (stiff back), was
making his second start of the season. Minor, the No. 7 overall draft pick in
2009, allowed seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

The final two batters he faced singled off him in the sixth, but Scott
Proctor(notes) came on and got Ronny Cedeno(notes) to ground out to first to end the inning.

Each team was involved in its third consecutive pitcher’s duel—the Pirates
had lost the previous two by identical 2-0 scores, including Tuesday against the
Braves.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh’s James McDonald(notes) gave up hits to the first three
batters of the game—including Chipper Jones’(notes) RBI single that scored Schafer—
but retired 11 of the next 12.

McDonald, who hadn’t allowed a run in either of his previous two home
starts, allowed two runs and six hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Twenty of
the 32 runs McDonald has allowed this season have come via the home run.

After watching his team having not scored a run since Saturday, Pittsburgh
manager Clint Hurdle shuffled his lineup, dropping Andrew McCutchen(notes) from leadoff
to No. 3 in the order, bumping Jose Tabata(notes) to leadoff and inserting Pearce into
the No. 2 spot.

Pearce made his fourth career start at third base, the Pirates patching the
hole left with Pedro Alvarez(notes) on the disabled list. Pearce has reached safely in
nine of his 10 starts this season.

Pearce drove in Pittsburgh’s first run in 22 innings in the third with a
single to left after Tabata had led off with a single and stole second.

Notes: Atlanta has four pinch-hit home runs this season. … Normally
Pittsburgh’s fifth starter, Karstens was in the game because the Pirates pushed
his next scheduled start back two days to Sunday. … A day after 2B Dan Uggla(notes)
was not in the Braves’ lineup for the first time this season, teammate OF Martin
Prado(notes) did not start for the first time. Similar to Uggla the day before, Prado
entered the game in the eighth inning. Prado struck out in the 10th. … The
struggling Uggla had a rough game, going 0 for 5 with three strikeouts, an error
and being part of a miscommunication that was called an error on SS Alex
Gonzalez in the ninth. … Lyle Overbay(notes) and OF Matt Diaz(notes) each had two hits for
Pittsburgh.

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PITTSBURGH – Jair Jurrjens pitched six-hit ball into the eighth inning to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Jurrjens (6-1) struck out four and walked one in 7 2-3 innings while dropping his ERA to 1.56. Craig Kimbrel worked a perfect ninth for his 13th save.

Alex Gonzalez had three hits and scored a run for the Braves, who scratched out just enough offense to end Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton’s three-game winning streak.

Morton (5-2) continued his strong start, giving up seven hits while striking out four and walking three in seven-plus innings.

Yet he couldn’t quite match Jurrjens, whose stuff has been electric this spring. The 25-year-old right-hander handcuffed the Pirates all night, needing just 97 pitches — 71 strikes — to send the Pirates to their second straight shutout loss.

The Braves came to town on the last stop of a miserable road trip in which they dropped four out of five and put starting outfielders Jason Heyward and Nate McLouth on the disabled list with injuries.

Jurrjens made sure none of it mattered against a Pirates offense that has suddenly stopped scoring runs.

Pittsburgh appeared to have found a groove last week, putting together a season-high four-game winning streak that pulled it within a game of .500. The Pirates scored 26 runs during the span but now haven’t scored in 19 innings.

Jurrjens didn’t give them much of a chance.

All five of Pittsburgh’s hits were singles and the Pirates were unable to capitalize on the few chances they had.

They managed to put two on with none out in the sixth thanks to an infield hit and a walk, but Neil Walker popped to shortstop and Lyle Overbay hit into an inning-ending double play.

Pittsburgh didn’t threaten again.

Atlanta pushed across a run in the second thanks to a rare flyball allowed by Morton. The former Brave has bounced back from an awful 2010 in which he went 2-12 with a 7.57 ERA.

He has become one of the National League’s biggest surprises behind a nasty sinker that has made opponents beat the ball into the ground with regularity.

He had won his last three decisions, including a shutout against Cincinnati last Thursday, and had a 2.62 ERA. More than 75 percent of his outs this season have come on groundballs.

The Braves didn’t get the ball in the air often, but they made it count when they did.

Gonzalez gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second, coming home on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Conrad. They made it 2-0 an inning later thanks to an RBI double by Martin Prado.

Atlanta had a chance to break it open in the fifth but Morton benefited from an overzealous fan.

Prado beat out a double-play attempt to keep the inning alive and Chipper Jones followed with a deep drive to right-center. A fan reached over the fence and tried to grab the ball with a baseball cap but it squirted free and dropped onto the field. Umpires awarded Jones a ground-rule double, forcing Prado to stop at third. The call was upheld on replay and Morton got out of the jam when Brian McCann grounded out to first.

Not that it mattered. Two runs were all Jurrjens needed.

NOTES: Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla didn’t start for the first time this season but entered in the eighth as a defensive replacement. … Atlanta RHP Tim Hudson’s back is feeling much better. He will miss Wednesday’s scheduled start with back pain but is expected to be available when his next turn in the rotation comes on May 30. … Pittsburgh reliever Evan Meek pitched a scoreless ninth. Meek rejoined the club Sunday after spending time on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder.

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(Sports Network) – Pittsburgh Pirates starter Charlie Morton will try to win
his fourth straight start this evening when he squares off against his former
club, the Atlanta Braves, in the opener of a two-game set at PNC Park.

Morton, a 2002 draft pick of the Braves who pitched for one season with the
club in 2008, is 5-1 with a 2.62 earned run average through eight starts and
is coming off his second career shutout, a five-hitter in Cincinnati on
Wednesday.

“For me, that’s the best thing I can do,” said Morton. “I mean, that’s the
most rewarding thing in my eyes that a starter can do, is go out there and
throw a complete game. So I feel like I did my job.”

The 27-year-old righty hasn’t lost since April 20, going 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA
in his last four starts.

Morton has faced the Braves twice before, going 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA.

Atlanta counters with Jair Jurrjens, who will serve as the other side of this
potential pitcher’s duel. Jurrjens is second in the National League with a
1.80 earned run average and is 5-1 through seven starts.

The right-hander is coming off his first loss of the season, one that snapped
a four-start winning streak, but it was to no fault of his own. Jurrjens held
Arizona to a pair of runs on eight hits, including just his second homer
allowed this season, over 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 loss on Thursday.

“J.J. pitched good enough to deserve to win the ballgame,” said Atlanta
manager Fredi Gonzalez. “Our bats didn’t come alive until those last two
innings. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.”

In four career starts against the Pirates, the 25-year-old Jurrjens is 1-3
with a 3.13 ERA.

Jurrjens may have to remain in top form tonight given that Atlanta will be
without two of its regulars. Jason Heyward was placed on the 15-day disabled
list following Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Angels because of discomfort in his
right shoulder, while fellow outfielder Nate McLouth suffered a strained left
oblique during his first at-bat of the game and landed on the DL Monday.

Heyward has been in a prolonged slump in May, going just 4-for-41 (.098)
during the month without a homer or RBI.

Without Heyward and McLouth, the Braves managed just Joe Mather’s RBI hit that
scored Freddie Freeman, who had two of Atlanta’s six hits in its fourth loss
in five games. Derek Lowe gave up three runs over six innings to suffer the
defeat.

“Lowe pitched well enough to win the ballgame. They got the big hits when they
needed to and we didn’t,” Gonzalez said.

The Pirates will also be looking to rebound tonight after having a four-game
win streak halted with Sunday’s 2-0 setback to the Tigers. Pittsburgh was held
to just two hits in the loss, one each from Ronny Cedeno and Xavier Paul.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of offense for us,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle
said. “We did everything we could as a staff to minimize the damage.”

Paul Maholm was the hard-luck loser, allowing two runs on six hits in 5 1/3
innings.

Hurdle will have a new bullpen option for this game after the Pirates
activated former All-Star Evan Meek from the disabled list. The right-hander
was out with shoulder tendinitis and is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 11 games this
season.

The Braves took six of nine from the Pirates a season ago, with the clubs
splitting six games at PNC Park.

The Sports Network

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