Pirates 9, Astros 3
The Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Houston Astros 9-3 in their final home game of the season at PNC Park on Sunday.
The win came on the back of a great start from Paul Maholm (9-15), who gave up one run on six hits over seven innings while striking out seven and walking one.
J.A. Happ held Pittsburgh scoreless through five innings but the Pirates picked up two runs in the sixth when Garrett Jones scored on a fielder’s choice and Andy LaRoche added an RBI sacrifice fly. Neil Walker then added an RBI single and Pedro Alvarez smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to put Pittsburgh up 5-1. The Pirates added four more runs in the eighth and Alvarez finished 3-for-5 at the plate.
Happ (6-3) took the loss. He went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking two.
Houston’s Carlos Lee hit his 28th double of the year to bring around Hunter Pence in the first inning and Pence hit a two-run shot – his 25th - in the eighth.