Pirates 8, Tigers 4
DETROIT -- Francisco Liriano blanked Detroit on five hits in seven innings, Neil Walker continued his hot hitting and the Pittsburgh Pirates withstood a late rally for an 8-4 win and a sweep of the three-game interleague series on Thursday.
Liriano (5-6) was 1-9 against Detroit in his previous 14 appearances but mixed fastballs and offspeed pitches to avoid any damage. He walked three and struck out five.
Left-hander Antonio Bastardo began the eighth inning for the Pirates but gave up right fielder J.D. Martinez's 21st home run, a three-run blast to right center that cut the lead to 4-3.
An RBI double to deep center by Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen in the ninth against Tigers right-hander Bruce Rondon bumped the margin up to 5-3. Walker smacked a two-run double to left center that make it 7-3 before a bases-loaded groundout by first baseman Sean Rodriguez brought in the final run.
Pirates left-hander Tony Watson got the last out of the eighth and right-hander Vance Worley began the ninth, giving up an RBI double to second baseman Ian Kinsler. Right-hander Mark Melancon was brought in to get his 25th save after a single by first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Left-hander Kyle Ryan (1-2) went through the first three innings smoothly but in the fourth gave up a solo home run to left by catcher Francisco Cervelli. In the fifth, he walked the first two batters he faced. The Pirates executed a sacrifice bunt against reliever Al Alburquerque and then got a sacrifice fly from McCutchen for a 2-0 lead.
Ryan walked five, struck out four and gave up three hits.
In the sixth, third baseman Jung Ho Kang singled and went to third on a single by Cervelli to knock out Alburquerque. Walker, who had four hits in the game and 10 in the series, bounced an RBI single to right against left-hander Blaine Hardy to put Pittsburgh up 3-0.
Left fielder Starling Marte put the Pirates ahead 4-0 with an RBI single in the seventh off Hardy.
All Detroit got through the first seven innings was manager Brad Ausmus thrown out of the game, apparently for chirping about a called third strike to Martinez leading off the fifth.
NOTES: Pirates left-handed hitting LF Gregory Polanco got a rare start against a southpaw Thursday. ... Tigers C Alex Avila served as Toledo's DH Thursday and while manager Brad Ausmus skirted the question, Detroit is likely to recall Avila on Friday. ... Pittsburgh has a seven-game winning streak against American League teams. ... Pirates manager Clint Hurdle praised rookie Detroit C James McCann as "one of the best young catchers I've seen this year, from my perspective, because of the way he blocks the ball, the way he swings the bat and the way he catches."