Padres 13, Pirates 2
Kyle Blanks belted a grand slam to cap a six-run seventh inning and drove in another run with a triple, leading the San Diego Padres to a 13-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Blanks' first career grand slam came a night after Chase Headley hit the Padres' first grand slam of the season.
The Padres have scored double digits in runs in each of the first two games of the series. They did so only five times in their previous 112 games. San Diego has outscored the Pirates by a 65-22 margin during its eight-game winning streak in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates' season-long losing streak stretched to nine games. They have lost 11 of 12 since being tied for the NL Central lead on July 25.
San Diego starter Cory Luebke (4-6) struck out a career-high nine over seven innings.
Paul Maholm (6-12) allowed seven runs over 6 2/3 innings, as the Pirates lost his fifth straight start. The Pirates have scored three runs or fewer in 17 of Maholm's 24 starts.