Pirates 5, Braves 2
Andrew McCutchen homered and drove in three runs as the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates ended a 10-game losing streak to Derek Lowe with a 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Pedro Alvarez and starter Kevin Correia each added an RBI for Pittsburgh, which earned a split of a frustrating four-game series that featured a controversial 19-inning loss on Tuesday and a 10-inning setback on Wednesday.
McCutchen helped the Pirates overcome their struggles against Lowe (6-9), who had been 10-0 with a 2.64 ERA in 10 starts against Pittsburgh. He hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning after a 47-minute rain delay and then belted a two-run homer off George Sherrill in the ninth.
Correia (12-8) won for the first time in four starts by allowing two runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Braves’ second baseman Dan Uggla extended his hitting streak to 19 games with an RBI single in the sixth that cut the lead to 3-2, but the bullpen held serve until McCutchen added some insurance.
Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth for a four-out save – his 30th in 31 chances this season.