Pirates 4, Giants 0
PITTSBURGH -- Charlie Morton pitched into the seventh inning, Neil Walker hit a two-run home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates blanked the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Thursday night.
Morton (8-4) scattered four hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight and walking two. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh inning with a four-run lead after the Giants loaded the bases with two outs.
Right-hander Jared Hughes, who got center fielder Gregor Blanco to line out to end the seventh-inning threat, and left-hander Tony Watson completed the six-hit shutout.
Walker, the switch-hitting second baseman, hit his 13th home run of the season in the sixth inning off right-handed starter Jake Peavy (3-6) to push the Pirates' lead to 4-0.
Pittsburgh had gone ahead 2-0 on two-out RBI doubles by third baseman Aramis Ramirez in the first and shortstop Jung Ho Kang in the third.
Walker, Kang and left fielder Starling Marte, who extended his hitting streak to five games, each had two hits. Marte is 9-for-23 (.381) during his streak.
The Pirates (72-45) moved a season-high 25 games over .500 with their seventh win in eight games, pulling within 4 1/2 games of the idle St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.
Pittsburgh also won 33 of its last 43 games at home and is 42-19 at PNC Park this season. The Pirates also improved their season record against NL West teams to 17-3, including 4-0 against San Francisco.
The Giants (65-56) dropped 2 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were off, in the NL West.
Peavy allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk. He had won all three of his career starts at PNC Park but was pitching in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2008.
Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford's career-best 13-game hitting streak ended as he went 0-for-3 and was hit by a pitch.
NOTES: The Giants acquired OF Marlon Byrd from the Cincinnati Reds in a trade for a minor leaguer before the game and he is expected to join the team Friday. Byrd will play right in place of OF Hunter Pence, who was put on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained left oblique muscle. ... San Francisco LF Nori Aoki was activated from the seven-day concussion DL after having been out since Aug. 13. ... Pirates 3B Josh Harrison (torn left wrist ligament) and SS Jordy Mercer (sprained left knee) could both be activated from the DL before the four-game series ends Sunday night. Harrison has been out since July 6 and Mercer went on the DL on July 20. ... 1B/OF Corey Hart (left shoulder impingement/right knee discomfort) joined Triple-A Indianapolis for a rehab assignment that will likely run through the end of the month. ... The second game of the series is Friday night, with San Francisco LHP Madison Bumgarner (14-6, 2.98 ERA) facing Pittsburgh LHP Jeff Locke (6-7, 4.31 ERA).