PITTSBURGH – Though he’s known for his heavy hitting, it instead was Micah Owings’ legs that got a rally going Thursday night, and you can count Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young among those surprised at just how quickly Owings made it down the line in the eighth inning at PNC Park.

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Diamondbacks-Pirates series | Thursday’s box | MLB scoreboard

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“He was floating down the line,” Young said, smiling. “He had a little adrenaline going.”

After Owings legged out an infield single, Young followed with a two-run blast, giving the Diamondbacks the only runs scored in a 2-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a win that allowed them to avoid a three-game sweep.

They won despite a shorter, yet still effective, outing from Josh Collmenter and with David Hernandez working the ninth in place of J.J. Putz, whose stiff back sidelined him for at least a night.

The glow of the Diamondbacks’ incredible three-week tear is starting to fade, in large part because of a slumping offense. In the past nine games, in which the D-Backs have gone 4-5, they are hitting just .232 and averaging a shade north of three runs per game.

Though the bullpen did, in fact, uncharacteristically blow leads in the first two games of this series, the offense might have been the hidden culprit.

“In the last couple of games,” Young said, “we haven’t been able to put the runs up for them, and we’re kind of putting them in some situations they probably shouldn’t have been in in the first place.”

The offense again was stagnant Thursday, getting shut down by Pirates right-hander Jeff Karstens (seven shutout innings) before Owings came to the plate against reliever Chris Resop with one out in the eighth.

Owings hit a grounder to the left of third baseman Josh Harrison, who lunged, popped up and threw to first. But Owings’ long strides got him there a split second before the ball, setting the stage for Young.

“Little bit,” Owings said when asked if he could smell a hit as he busted it down the line. “Now I’ve got the first (hit) of the year out of the way.”

Young got ahead 2-0, and Resop fired a fastball up in the zone. Young crushed it into the left-field stands.

For manager Kirk Gibson, it was just another example of Young’s development, citing improvement in his ability to capitalize in hitter’s counts.

“I think he’s getting better at knowing what kind of pitch he wants to hit in those situations,” Gibson said. “He put a quick swing on it. It was big.”

Young said: “When you get ahead, you’re basically looking for that cookie. A 2-0, 3-0 count, you don’t ever want to swing at the pitcher’s pitch. You want to look in one area and if he throws it in one area, don’t guide the bat to it, just whale at it, almost.

“Right there, you have the advantage and the pitcher has to come to you. You try to use it to your advantage as much as you can.”

View from the press box

Kirk Gibson was among the many in the Diamondbacks clubhouse who were heartened by the news that Bob Melvin had landed another managing gig, taking over the Oakland Athletics. “I texted him, ‘Congratulations. You’re back where you belong.’ He texted me right back and said, ‘I’ll see you soon.’ ” The Diamondbacks visit the A’s in three weeks.

Rewind

Putz unavailable: Closer J.J. Putz was not available to pitch Thursday because of lower-back stiffness, but he seemed to consider the injury almost trivially minor, at least judging by the surprise he displayed when approached by reporters after the game.

“We were erring on the side of caution,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”

So it’s not as bad as the back stiffness that sidelined him for a couple of weeks during spring training?

“It’s not even close, not even in the same region,” he said. “I think I just slept in that heavenly bed wrong.”

For what it’s worth, that heavenly bed belongs to the Westin.

Hernandez effective: After giving up five runs without recording an out Tuesday, right-hander David Hernandez threw a perfect ninth to earn the save in place of Putz.

Hernandez made a terrific diving stop of a Josh Harrison comebacker and threw from his knees to get the first out of the inning.

“That will make some highlight reels,” manager Kirk Gibson said.

Collmenter solid: By going five shutout innings, right-hander Josh Collmenter extended his scoreless streak to 13 innings. He might have pitched deeper in the game if not for a 31-pitch fifth inning in which opposing pitcher Jeff Karstens (11 pitches) and Xavier Paul (10 pitches) each had drawn-out at-bats.

“That’s where another out pitch would probably come in handy,” Collmenter said. “They fouled off pitches and were trying to wait for me to make a mistake, and fortunately, I didn’t.”

Up Next

Florida Marlins

The Marlins beat the Diamondbacks on May 31 but hadn’t won since then entering Thursday, going from two games back in the National League East to five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. Of their seven consecutive losses, six had come by one run. They look like a team in disarray. Their offense has been slumping, averaging scoring two runs or fewer in four of the past five games, leading to the dismissal of hitting coach John Mallee, who was replaced by Eduardo Perez. They were hitting just .175 with men in scoring position during the seven-game losing streak.

PITTSBURGH – Though he’s known for his heavy hitting, it instead was Micah Owings’ legs that got a rally going Thursday night, and you can count Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young among those surprised at just how quickly Owings made it down the line in the eighth inning at PNC Park.

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Diamondbacks-Pirates series | Thursday’s box | MLB scoreboard

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“He was floating down the line,” Young said, smiling. “He had a little adrenaline going.”

After Owings legged out an infield single, Young followed with a two-run blast, giving the Diamondbacks the only runs scored in a 2-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a win that allowed them to avoid a three-game sweep.

They won despite a shorter, yet still effective, outing from Josh Collmenter and with David Hernandez working the ninth in place of J.J. Putz, whose stiff back sidelined him for at least a night.

The glow of the Diamondbacks’ incredible three-week tear is starting to fade, in large part because of a slumping offense. In the past nine games, in which the D-Backs have gone 4-5, they are hitting just .232 and averaging a shade north of three runs per game.

Though the bullpen did, in fact, uncharacteristically blow leads in the first two games of this series, the offense might have been the hidden culprit.

“In the last couple of games,” Young said, “we haven’t been able to put the runs up for them, and we’re kind of putting them in some situations they probably shouldn’t have been in in the first place.”

The offense again was stagnant Thursday, getting shut down by Pirates right-hander Jeff Karstens (seven shutout innings) before Owings came to the plate against reliever Chris Resop with one out in the eighth.

Owings hit a grounder to the left of third baseman Josh Harrison, who lunged, popped up and threw to first. But Owings’ long strides got him there a split second before the ball, setting the stage for Young.

“Little bit,” Owings said when asked if he could smell a hit as he busted it down the line. “Now I’ve got the first (hit) of the year out of the way.”

Young got ahead 2-0, and Resop fired a fastball up in the zone. Young crushed it into the left-field stands.

For manager Kirk Gibson, it was just another example of Young’s development, citing improvement in his ability to capitalize in hitter’s counts.

“I think he’s getting better at knowing what kind of pitch he wants to hit in those situations,” Gibson said. “He put a quick swing on it. It was big.”

Young said: “When you get ahead, you’re basically looking for that cookie. A 2-0, 3-0 count, you don’t ever want to swing at the pitcher’s pitch. You want to look in one area and if he throws it in one area, don’t guide the bat to it, just whale at it, almost.

“Right there, you have the advantage and the pitcher has to come to you. You try to use it to your advantage as much as you can.”

View from the press box

Kirk Gibson was among the many in the Diamondbacks clubhouse who were heartened by the news that Bob Melvin had landed another managing gig, taking over the Oakland Athletics. “I texted him, ‘Congratulations. You’re back where you belong.’ He texted me right back and said, ‘I’ll see you soon.’ ” The Diamondbacks visit the A’s in three weeks.

Rewind

Putz unavailable: Closer J.J. Putz was not available to pitch Thursday because of lower-back stiffness, but he seemed to consider the injury almost trivially minor, at least judging by the surprise he displayed when approached by reporters after the game.

“We were erring on the side of caution,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”

So it’s not as bad as the back stiffness that sidelined him for a couple of weeks during spring training?

“It’s not even close, not even in the same region,” he said. “I think I just slept in that heavenly bed wrong.”

For what it’s worth, that heavenly bed belongs to the Westin.

Hernandez effective: After giving up five runs without recording an out Tuesday, right-hander David Hernandez threw a perfect ninth to earn the save in place of Putz.

Hernandez made a terrific diving stop of a Josh Harrison comebacker and threw from his knees to get the first out of the inning.

“That will make some highlight reels,” manager Kirk Gibson said.

Collmenter solid: By going five shutout innings, right-hander Josh Collmenter extended his scoreless streak to 13 innings. He might have pitched deeper in the game if not for a 31-pitch fifth inning in which opposing pitcher Jeff Karstens (11 pitches) and Xavier Paul (10 pitches) each had drawn-out at-bats.

“That’s where another out pitch would probably come in handy,” Collmenter said. “They fouled off pitches and were trying to wait for me to make a mistake, and fortunately, I didn’t.”

Up Next

Florida Marlins

The Marlins beat the Diamondbacks on May 31 but hadn’t won since then entering Thursday, going from two games back in the National League East to five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. Of their seven consecutive losses, six had come by one run. They look like a team in disarray. Their offense has been slumping, averaging scoring two runs or fewer in four of the past five games, leading to the dismissal of hitting coach John Mallee, who was replaced by Eduardo Perez. They were hitting just .175 with men in scoring position during the seven-game losing streak.

CBSSports.com wire reports
June 8, 2011

PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen toned down his walk-off home run celebration over the past two years.

When McCutchen hit a game-ending homer as a rookie two years ago, the then-22-year-old centerfielder leaped high into the air with his arms held out wide as he landed on home plate to meet a mob of teammates.

This time, as McCutchen approached home after homering in the 12th inning to give the Pirates a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, he neatly set his helmet on the ground and nonchalantly stepped on the plate as teammates surrounded him.

“It’s different now since Kendry Morales got hurt last season,” McCutchen said, referring to the Los Angeles Angels’ first baseman who hasn’t played since breaking his leg leaping to the plate celebrating last May.

“I don’t think you’ll ever see me go leaping into home plate anymore like I did that night. It’s too dangerous. Plus, I was tired. It was a long, hot night and I was just glad it was over and we got the win.”

McCutchen led off the 12th by taking a 3-2 pitch from Zach Kroenke (0-1) high and just inside the left-field foul pole for his team-leading 10th home run.

The Pirates evened their record this late in the season for the first time since also being 30-30 on June 11, 2005. Pittsburgh has won four of five and six of eight.

“We’re .500 and that’s about the significance of it to us,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It will have more significance later in season when we’re 500. I understand the importance of it to the fans, though, when I’m walking the streets, having lunch, having dinner, doing things around the ‘Burgh. I’m glad people are excited about it, but we don’t want to be satisfied with being .500 in June.”

Arizona has lost three consecutive since going on a 18-4 run.

Daniel McCutchen (2-1) worked out of jams in both the 11th and 12th to earn the win in a game in which each team blew a save in the late innings.

“We had a chance to win the game,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “We had several opportunities in extra innings — we just didn’t get it done.”

McCutchen had three hits, scored twice and had two RBIs. Jose Tabata had four hits for the second time in his career and scored Pittsburgh’s first run.

The Diamondbacks’ Stephen Drew entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-hitter and twice drove in Kelly Johnson with singles to account for the tying and go-ahead runs.

The usual cleanup hitter, Drew was not in the lineup against left-handed starter Paul Maholm. But he extended his hitting streak to five games when he lined a single in the eighth off of Jose Veras to tie the game at 1.

Two innings later, Johnson — another regular who was given the beginning of the night off but pinch hit in the eighth — again led off by reaching base, again was sacrificed to second and again scored on a single to center by Drew.

“The first at bat, I was like, ‘Just get a pitch and put it out in the middle and hit it to left-center,” Drew said. “I wasn’t trying to do too much. Second at bat, the same thing with Johnson on. I wasn’t trying to do too much, and it worked out.”

But it didn’t work out for Arizona in the bottom of the inning, as J.J. Putz blew his second save in 19 opportunities when Neil Walker’s one-out single scored McCutchen.

McCutchen started that rally by doubling down the right-field line.

Good friends and fellow left-handed starters Zach Duke and Maholm both had strong outings but were given no-decisions when a win would have meant either would be the all-time victories leader at PNC Park.

The Diamondbacks managed only one hit against Maholm in six shutout innings, and former Pirates teammate Duke allowed one run on nine hits in seven innings.

Maholm was in line to break a tie with Duke with 31 wins at the Pirates’ 11-year-old ballpark.

“It was a good game because we both pitched well,” Maholm said. “Zach did what he does. He gave up some hits but he also found ways to make big pitches to get out of some jams.”

Making his third start with the Diamondbacks after spending his first six seasons with Pittsburgh, Duke allowed 11 baserunners. Only one would cross home — on a McCutchen sacrifice fly in the third.

Notes

• Pirates C Chris Snyder left the game due to low back pain after sliding awkwardly at second trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning. He was replaced by Dusty Brown and will be evaluated Thursday.
• Duke received a mixture of cheers and boos when he was announced to bat.
• Diamondbacks 1B Juan Miranda extended fully to make a diving catch on a line drive hit down the line by Walker in the eighth.
• Overbay hit his 300th double.
• Pittsburgh 3B Pedro Alvarez has experienced a re-aggravation of the tightness in his right quadriceps that has him on the disabled list. That has pushed back the schedule of when he could go on a rehabilitation assignment and ultimately return to the majors.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen led off the 12th with a home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates reached .500 with a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

McCutchen took a 3-2 pitch from Zach Kroenke (0-1) high and just inside the left-field foul pole for his team-leading 10th home run — the second time he has ended a game with a home run.

The Pirates (30-30) evened their record this late in the season for the first time since being 30-30 on June 11, 2005. Pittsburgh has won four of five and six of eight.

Arizona has lost three consecutive since going on a 18-4 run.

Daniel McCutchen (2-1) worked out of jams in both the 11th and 12th to earn the win in a game in which each team blew a save in the late innings

Andrew McCutchen had three hits, scored twice and had two RBIs. Jose Tabata had four hits for the second time in his career and scored Pittsburgh’s first run.

The Diamondbacks’ Stephen Drew entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-hitter and twice drove in Kelly Johnson with singles to account for the tying and go-ahead runs.

The usual cleanup hitter, Drew was not in the lineup against left-handed starter Paul Maholm. But he extended his hitting streak to five games when he lined a single in the eighth off of Jose Veras to tie the game at 1.

Two innings later, Johnson — another regular who was given the beginning of the night off but pinch hit in the eighth — again led off by reaching base, again was sacrificed to second and again scored on a single to center by Drew.

But J.J. Putz blew his second save in 19 opportunities in the bottom of the 10th when Neil Walker’s one-out single scored McCutchen.

Good friends and fellow left-handed starters Zach Duke and Maholm both had strong outings but were given no-decisions when a win would have meant either would be the all-time victories leader at PNC Park.

The Diamondbacks managed only one hit against Maholm in six shutout innings, and former Pirates teammate Duke allowed one run on nine hits in seven innings.

Maholm was in line to break a tie with Duke with 31 wins at the Pirates’ 11-year-old ballpark.

Making his third start with the Diamondbacks after spending his first six seasons with Pittsburgh, Duke allowed 11 baserunners. Only one would cross home — on a McCutchen sacrifice fly in the third.

NOTES: Pirates C Chris Snyder left the game due to low back pain after sliding awkwardly at second trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning. He was replaced by Dusty Brown and will be evaluated Thursday. … Duke received a mixture of cheers and boos when he was announced to bat. … Diamondbacks 1B Juan Miranda extended fully to make a diving catch on a line drive hit down the line by Walker in the eighth. … Overbay hit his 300th double. … Pittsburgh 3B Pedro Alvarez has experienced a re-aggravation of the tightness in his right quadriceps that has him on the disabled list. That has pushed back the schedule of when he could go on a rehabilitation assignment and ultimately return to the majors.

By SportsDirect

PITTSBURGH — Lyle Overbay hit a three-run double to cap a five-run eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for an 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Arizona was in position for its seventh consecutive road win after Daniel Hudson allowed only one earned run through seven innings, but Daniel Hernandez (2-2) did not retire any of the six batters he faced in the eighth.

Jose Tabata had an RBI double and Josh Harrison an RBI single before Overbay’s line drive to right-center with the bases loaded.

The Diamondbacks lost for the first time in 25 games this season when leading after seven innings.

Juan Miranda had a home run among his career-high four hits, Kelly Johnson homered and had three RBIs and Chris Young also homered for Arizona.

Andrew McCutchen scored three times and Chris Snyder had a pair of sacrifice flies for Pittsburgh.

Chris Resop (2-1) struck out Ryan Roberts to end the top of the eighth, and Joel Hanrahan had two strikeouts working a perfect ninth for his 15th save in as many opportunities.

Hudson was in line to win for the seventh time in his past nine starts upon leaving after seven innings, being charged with three hits and one walk. Hudson had seven strikeouts and retired 12 of the final 13 he faced. But with his pitch count at 105, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

That decision was made by bench coach Alan Trammell, who managed the Diamondbacks while Kirk Gibson served a one-game suspension.

Reliever Esmerling Vasquez retired all three batters he faced after relieving Hernandez in the eighth — available because he is appealing his own three-game suspension after he was judged to have been throwing at hitters in Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals after both teams had been warned.

All three of Arizona’s home runs were solo shots. Johnson homered for the second consecutive game, giving him a team-high 12, in the first. Miranda’s was his sixth, leading off a three-run fifth that also included a two-run double by Johnson.

When Young hit his 11th home run to left to lead off the eighth, it appeared the Diamondbacks were on their way to another win, their 19th in 24 games. Instead, they have a two-game losing streak.

After giving up three runs on five hits in the fifth, Pirates starter Kevin Correia’s evening was over. He was charged with four runs and eight hits. Correia failed in his attempt to take over sole possession of the majors lead in victories with nine.

Notes: The announced attendance was 12,378 in the first Pirates game since an average of more than 36,000 came to each of three weekend games against the Philadelphia Phillies. … Both teams selected UCLA right-handed pitchers among the first three picks of the draft on Monday.

Lyle Overbay hit a three-run double to cap a five-run eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for an 8-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Arizona was in position for its seventh consecutive road win after Daniel Hudson allowed only one earned run through seven innings, but Daniel Hernandez (2-2) did not retire any of the six batters he faced in the eighth.

Jose Tabata had an RBI double and Josh Harrison an RBI single before Overbay’s line drive to right-center with the bases loaded.

The Diamondbacks lost for the first time in 25 games this season when leading after seven innings.

Juan Miranda had a home run among his career-high four hits, Kelly Johnson homered and had three RBIs and Chris Young also homered for Arizona.

Andrew McCutchen scored three times and Chris Snyder had a pair of sacrifice flies for Pittsburgh.

Chris Resop (2-1) struck out Ryan Roberts to end the top of the eighth, and Joel Hanrahan had two strikeouts working a perfect ninth for his 15th save in as many opportunities.

Hudson was in line to win for the seventh time in his past nine starts upon leaving after seven innings, being charged with three hits and one walk. Hudson had seven strikeouts and retired 12 of the final 13 he faced. But with his pitch count at 105, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

That decision was made by bench coach Alan Trammell, who managed the Diamondbacks while Kirk Gibson served a one-game suspension.

Reliever Esmerling Vasquez retired all three batters he faced after relieving Hernandez in the eighth — available because he is appealing his own three-game suspension after he was judged to have been throwing at hitters in Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals after both teams had been warned.

All three of Arizona’s home runs were solo shots. Johnson homered for the second consecutive game, giving him a team-high 12, in the first. Miranda’s was his sixth, leading off a three-run fifth that also included a two-run double by Johnson.

When Young hit his 11th home run to left to lead off the eighth, it appeared the Diamondbacks were on their way to another win, their 19th in 24 games. Instead, they have a two-game losing streak.

After giving up three runs on five hits in the fifth, Pirates starter Kevin Correia’s evening was over. He was charged with four runs and eight hits. Correia failed in his attempt to take over sole possession of the majors lead in victories with nine.

Notes: The announced attendance was 12,378 in the first Pirates game since an average of more than 36,000 came to each of three weekend games against the Philadelphia Phillies. … Both teams selected UCLA right-handed pitchers among the first three picks of the draft on Monday.

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds were having a marvelous homestand, until the (usually) lowly Pittsburgh Pirates showed up.

Jay Bruce hit two solo homers Thursday, but the Pirates beat the Reds 5-3. With the loss, Cincinnati fell out of first place in the NL Central.

Cincinnati had been 5-0 on the homestand with sweeps against St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs. The Reds then were swept in two games against the Pirates and are 1-5 against them this year.

“It shows that in the big leagues, anybody can beat you, no matter who they are or where they are in the standings,” Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said. “They’ve had some well-pitched games against us.”

The Reds are a half-game behind St. Louis, which beat Houston 4-2 on Thursday.

Cincinnati was outscored 10-3 by Pittsburgh. Entering the series, the perennially rebuilding Pirates stood fourth in the NL Central and were 6 1/2 games behind the Reds.

Cincinnati had an uneven day that included a throwing error and some baserunning mistakes, but Baker said Pittsburgh starter James McDonald (3-3) was the difference. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander allowed only one run in 6 2/3 innings.

“He had his control, he kept the ball down, and he was locating and throwing his breaking ball for strikes,” Baker said.

“He pitched well,” said Bruce, who hit one of his two homers against McDonald. “He kept his fastball down for the most part, and he elevated when he wanted to. He made pitches when he needed to.”

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (2-1) was the loser for the first time in three starts since returning from the disabled list. The Pirates scored three runs against Cueto in the fifth inning, the first earned runs he’s allowed in 18 1/3 innings this year.

Cueto lasted five innings, having thrown 94 pitches. The total was elevated by a 31-pitch second inning, when he escaped a bases-loaded jam.

“Johnny was pretty good,” Baker said. “He had a lot of pitches in the second inning, and that kind of did him in.”

Cueto said his problem Thursday was keeping his shoulder squared to home plate, as he threw only 58 strikes.

“I was flying open every time I was throwing,” Cueto said through a translator. “That’s why I was missing my spots and getting behind in the count a lot.”

Bruce homered to center to put Cinicnnati ahead 1-0 in the second inning. Bruce was back in the lineup after being scratched Wednesday by a cold.

“I felt better today, just trying to get some energy back, but, obviously, I wish we’d have won,” Bruce said. “The Pirates have given us a tough time this year.”

Cueto allowed an RBI single by Xavier Paul in the fifth as Pittsburgh tied it at 1. Neil Walker’s two-run double later in the inning made it 3-1.

Ryan Doumit put the Pirates up 4-1 with a solo homer in the sixth inning against reliever Jordan Smith.

Andrew McCutchen hit an RBI double in the eighth against Nick Masset to make it 5-1. Joey Votto’s RBI single in the eighth cut the Reds’ deficit to 5-2.

Bruce’s second homer, an opposite-field shot to left, brought Cincinnati to 5-3 to start the ninth. Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan allowed Bruce’s homer, then retired the next three hitters to get the save.

The Reds visit AL Central leader Cleveland today to begin their longest road trip of the year, a 10-day, 10-game trek. After three games in Cleveland, Cincinnati plays four in Philadelphia and three in Atlanta. The Reds return home May 30 against Milwaukee.