PIRATES CRUSH PADRES, 11-5
The Pittsburgh Pirates (25-22) had an early home run barrage and cruised to their seventh straight win, 11-5 against the San Diego Padres (23-26) on Thursday night.
Jung Ho Kang crushed a three-run homer (450 feet) in the first inning and Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco also went deep off Ian Kennedy as the Pirates first six runs scored were all on homers.
Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Francisco Cervelli each had three of the Pirates 15 hits, while Josh Harrison went 2-3 with a double, two walks in the victory.
The Pirates 1-5 hitters did significant damage in the game, going a combined 10-for-21 with 2 home runs, 8 RBI:
  • Josh Harrison – 2-3, double, RBI, 2 BB
  • Neil Walker – 3-5
  • Andrew McCutchen – 3-5, 2 RBI, 2B
  • Starling Marte – 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
  • Jung Ho Kang – 1-5, HR, 3 RBI
A.J. Burnett (5-1, 1.81 ERA) improved to 5-1 on the season as a lack of run support that plagued Burnett early in the season, hasn’t been the case of late. Burnett allowed five runs, four earned, and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Pirate starters are 7-0 during the Pirates seven game winning streak.