Final: Pirates 5, Cubs 4 (box)

WP: Wandy Rodriguez (5-2, 3.40 ERA)
LP: James Russell (1-1, 1.04 ERA)
SV: Jason Grilli (18, 1.31 ERA)

Wandy Rodriguez started off shaky by giving up three runs in the second inning, but finished things up nicely going six innings allowing just those three runs. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Rodriguez has given up three or less runs in eight of his nine starts. The Pirates have won seven of those nine.

The Pirates sent 11 batters to the plate in a five-run sixth inning. Pedro Alvarez put the Pirates on the board with a bases loaded walk. Two batters later, Travis Snider delivered with a pinch-hit grand slam over the right center wall to put the Pirates up 5-3.

Justin Wilson and Mark Melancon each pitched a scoreless inning. Jason Grilli made things a little interesting in the ninth, giving up a run and throwing 35 pitches, before striking out Anthony Rizzo to end the game.

Clint Hurdle deserves a little credit tonight for how he handled the bench tonight. Non-starters Brandon Inge, Starling Marte, Travis Snider, and Jordy Mercer all combined to go 4 for 6 with a double and a grand slam.

Francisco Liriano (2-0, 1.64 ERA) faces Jeff Samardzija (2-5, 3.49 ERA) at 7:05 ET Wednesday night. Samardzija started Opening Day against the Pirates and pitched eight scoreless innings earlier this year.

Final: Pirates 1, Astros 0 (box)

WP: Jeff Locke (4-1, 2.73 ERA)
LP: Lucas Harrell (3-5, 4.63 ERA)
SV: Jason Grilli (17, 0.92 ERA)

Jeff Locke started and pitched seven scoreless innings. He struck out four, walked two, and gave up just three hits. He also forced one double play ball.

Andrew McCutchen was scratched due to soreness in his right knee. Apparently he was able to pinch hit, but was not used.

The only run of the game came on an opposite field, line drive homer by Pedro Alvarez in the fifth inning. It was his team leading eighth big fly of the season.

After blowing his first lead of the season, Mark Melancon pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to get back into form. Jason Grilli followed it with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his Major League leading 17th save.

The Pirates have an off day Monday before a three-game series against the Cubs. On Tuesday, Wandy Rodriguez will face Matt Garza, who will be making his first start of the year after starting the season on the disabled list due to a lat strain.

Final: Astros 4, Pirates 2 (box)

WP: Jose Cisnero (1-0, 4.00 ERA)
LP: Bryan Morris (1-2, 3.68 ERA)
SV: Jose Veras (6, 3.71 ERA)

A.J. Burnett pitched stellar, as usual, giving up just one run over seven innings. He did walk four batters and give up five hits, but was helped out by seven strikeouts and two double plays. Burnett has a 2.57 ERA this season in ten starts and somehow the Pirates have managed to win just four of those ten. They are averaging 2.6 runs scored per Burnett start.

The Pirates jumped out to a 1-0 lead on back-to-back doubles in the first inning by Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez. McCutchen would hit a second double in the sixth for his third straight multi-hit game.

Mark Melancon gave up just his second run of the season in the eighth inning after giving up three singles. It is the first time this season he’s blown a lead.

The Pirates were simply unable to get to an Astros staff with pitchers who entered the game with ERA’s of 6.67, 7.43, 2.95, 5.02, and 3.94. Former Pirate Erik Bedard went more than five innings for the first time this year and it was just his second start in which he didn’t allow a home run.

The Astros scored the go-ahead run in the 11th inning on a play at the plate. Home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor ruled Jason Castro safe on a fielder’s choice to Neil Walker. Clint Hurdle was ejected following the play. Castro was clearly safe.

Jeff Locke (3-1. 3.15 ERA) faces Lucas Harrell (3-4, 5.11 ERA) in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon at 1:35 ET.

Final: Pirates 5, Astros 4 (box)

WP: Justin Wilson (4-0, 1.40 ERA)
LP: Edgar Gonzalez (0-1, 7.43 ERA)

Jeanmar Gomez had his worst start after being pretty solid in his first three. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs, three of which were earned. He struck out just one and gave up five hits and two walks.

One person I was sad to see the organization and am glad to see in the majors is Robbie Grossman. The Bucs traded Grossman last season in the Wandy Rodriguez deal and he has been Houston’s starting center fielder this year. Today, Grossman did what we know he does best: get on base. He went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk, scoring two of the Astros four runs.

Andrew McCutchen is heating up, ladies and gentlemen. That’s bad news for the rest of the league. McCutchen went 3 for 5 with a double and a home run in his second straight multi-hit game. His OPS has risen .093 points this month.

Pedro Alvarez hit an absolute mammoth of a home run to tie the game up in the eighth inning off reliever Hector Ambriz. I mean, he just killed it.

The Pirates bullpen was big, once again, as Vin Mazzaro, Tony Watson, and Justin Wilson combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings to keep the game within reach until…

In the bottom of the ninth inning, in what can only be described as the most Astros thing you will ever see, the Pirates walked it off with this:

I’m going to miss playing those guys 20 times a year.

Final: Pirates 7, Brewers 1 (box)

WP: Francisco Liriano (2-0, 1.64 ERA)
LP: Hiram Burgos (1-2, 6.58 ERA)

Francisco Liriano, in his second start as a Pirates did pretty much the same as he did in his first start. He went 5 2/3 innings while giving up one run on six hits. He struck out seven and walked three. His only run given up was in a shaky first inning, but from then on it was pretty much smooth sailing.

Travis Snider had perhaps his best game as a Pirate, going 3 for 5 with a two-run monster of a home run that travelled 458 feet before finding its way into the Allegheny River. He added a single in the third inning and an RBI single in the sixth. His batting line now stands at a solid .292/.364/.406.

The bullpen continued to be impressive as Justin Wilson, Bryan Morris, and Jose Contreras combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings in which they didn’t give up a hit.

Clint Barmes went 1 for 3 with a double in the fourth inning that drove in the club’s first run. He now has a seven game hitting streak, his longest as a Pirate.

Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Russell Martin each picked up two hits.

Final: Pirates 3, Brewers 1 (box)

WP: Wandy Rodriguez (4-2, 3.25 ERA)
LP: Yovani Gallardo (3-3, 4.50 ERA)
SV: Jason Grilli (16, 1.02 ERA)

Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven innings and gave up just one run on six hits. He also struck out five and walked one. The Brewers’ only run came on a solo home run by Rickie Weeks in the seventh inning. He danced out of some trouble in the fourth inning when Jonathan Lucroy led off the inning with a triple. Rodriguez was then able to induce two pop ups and a grounder to leave Lucroy at third.

Starling Marte led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to right center. After Gallardo walked Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez, Neil Walker delivered with a line drive single to center field to plate two runs to break the 0-0 tie. The Bucs would add another run in the eighth when McCutchen scored on an error by Weeks.

Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli each pitched 1-2-3 innings to seal the deal for the Pirates. Grilli is now 16 for 16 in save opportunities and moves into a tie with Mariano Rivera for most saves in the majors.

McCutchen stole his eighth and ninth bases of the season. He has been caught stealing just once in ten attempts this year compared to 12 caught stealings in 32 attempts last year.