Mon May 12 15:22:55 2008

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Pirates take first of twinbill with Braves

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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Freddy Sanchez doubled in three runs and Zach Duke pitched six scoreless innings for his second straight win, as the Pittsburgh Pirates captured a 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a doubleheader at PNC Park.

Adam LaRoche homered and Ryan Doumit stroked a pair of hits for the Pirates, who have won six in a row for their longest winning streak since they ripped off 10 straight wins from June 26 through July 5 of 2004.

Duke (2-2) allowed five hits and walked five while fanning three. He beat San Francisco his last time out and has won consecutive starts for the first time since September 11 and 17 of 2006.

Chipper Jones had three hits and a walk for the Braves, who left 15 runners on base.

Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens (4-3), who was 3-0 in his previous four starts, suffered his first loss since April 15 at Florida. He was charged with three runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

The Pirates broke a scoreless duel in the fifth, loading the bases on a walk, a fly ball single that should have been caught and a one-out hit batsman. Jurrjens then struck out Duke, but Sanchez came through with a double into the right field corner to chase home all three runners for a 3-0 lead.

Pittsburgh loaded the bases again in the sixth on two walks and another hit batter, but Brian Bixler bounced to third to keep it a three-run game.

The Pirates tacked on two more in the eighth against Manny Acosta when Doumit led off with a double and LaRoche connected for his fourth home run of the season.

Atlanta, meanwhile, had plenty of chances, but could not get a big hit.

The Braves wasted a two-out double by Jones in the first, then left two more aboard in the second when Jurrjens struck out. Jurrjens stranded two more in the fourth with a line out to right and Jeff Francoeur grounded out in the fifth to leave two more on base.

After a pair of two-out walks in the sixth, Omar Infante flied harmlessly to right. A two-out error and a single in the seventh again gave the Braves a chance, but Matt Diaz popped up to second.

Atlanta again stranded two in the ninth when Francoeur fanned with runners on the corners and Diaz grounded to third to end the contest.

Game Notes

The doubleheader was scheduled to make up Sunday's rainout...Atlanta first baseman Mark Teixeira left the contest with back spasms...Doumit has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 starts...Duke improved to 2-2 in four lifetime starts against Atlanta...The Pirates committed four errors.