Marlins Complete Sweep Of Pirates
PITTSBURGH (CBS4) - Javier Vazquez added to his last-season surge by pitching six scoreless innings Sunday, helping the Florida Marlins complete a season sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 4-1 victory.
Vazquez struck out seven, allowed three hits and walked two while improving to 4-2 with a 1.95 ERA in his last nine starts. The 35-year-old right-hander, who has talked about retiring over the last month, went 3-8 with a 6.85 ERA in his first 14 starts of the season.
Florida went 6-0 against the Pirates this year, including all three games this weekend for their first series sweep in Pittsburgh since 2000, the year before PNC Park opened. The Marlins have won 14 of their last 16 against Pittsburgh overall.
Florida scored all of its runs in the fifth. Vazquez opened the inning with a walk against James McDonald (9-8) and scored on Gregg Dobbs' two-out double. Gaby Sanchez then singled home Dobbs and Bryan Petersen ahead of Donnie Murphy, who chased McDonald with a two-run double to center.
Leo Nunez pitched a perfect ninth for his 34th save in 40 opportunities.
McDonald allowed five hits, walked four and struck out three. He is 5-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 15 home starts this season.
Jason Jaramillo hit a two-out RBI single in the seventh to snap Pittsburgh's 16-inning scoreless drought. The Pirates moved within two losses of clinching their 19th straight losing season.
Anibal Sanchez threw a one-hit shutout against the Pirates on Saturday night.
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