Die Anpflanzler [DA] » called from Triple-A

PHILADELPHIA -- Francisco Liriano tossed eight dominant innings against Philadelphia. The only time the Phillies managed to score was in the ninth after Lirianos work was done. Liriano struck out a season-high 12, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Phillies 4-1 on Thursday night. He allowed only six baserunners. Pittsburgh won for the seventh time in eight games to strengthen their hold on the second wild-card spot in the National League. Ike Davis and Neil Walker broke out of slumps with RBI hits, and the Pirates scored three times in the sixth inning. Liriano (5-10) got rare run support from his teammates, who had scored three runs or fewer in 13 of the lefthanders last 17 appearances. He struck out at least 12 for the fifth time in his career and won his second consecutive decision. "I feel great, like I had pretty good command," Liriano said. "I feel great physically and mentally. Everything is getting better, location-wise. Im just trying to get better every start." He finished three strikeouts shy of his career-best of 15. "I got a lot of swings and misses," said Liriano, who has allowed only 17 earned runs in his last 69 innings, dating to July 18. Mark Melancon allowed one of two runners left by Jared Hughes to score in the ninth, but earned his 29th save in 33 opportunities. Philadelphia starter A.J. Burnett (8-16) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings. Burnett, a member of the Pirates rotation last season, also was impressed by his former teammate Liriano. "Thats the best Ive seen him in a long time," he said. Walker went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI, and Russell Martin singled, scored a run and drove in another for Pittsburgh, which took three of four from Philadelphia. The Pirates got on the board when Davis, in a 2-for-18 slump, singled to score Martin in the second inning. In the sixth, Walker -- mired in a 1-for-14 rut -- doubled in Travis Snider to make it 2-0. Martin added a sacrifice fly, and Gregory Polanco followed with an RBI single. Liriano did the rest to make the lead hold up. "Everything looks like a fastball coming at you," said Martin, Lirianos catcher. "You can tell yourself a slider is coming, but your mind is telling you its a fastball, then it breaks." Josh Harrison, who entered with an NL-best .318 average, went 0-for-5 for Pittsburgh. He dropped to .314 and into second place behind Colorados Justin Morneau. The Phillies -- who have lost six of seven -- batted .156 (10-for-64) in their last two games against Pittsburgh. An RBI single in the ninth inning by Carlos Ruiz prevented their 14th shutout loss of the season. "He had great stuff with a real good changeup," said Freddy Galvis, who had one of Philadelphias six hits. "He had a good night." Burnett, who led the NL in strikeouts last season while pitching for Pittsburgh, fanned seven Pirates. TRAINERS ROOM Pirates: LF Starling Marte was briefly back in the lineup. One night after being hit by a pitch in the hand in the first inning, Marte was plunked in the second inning. Marte left in the third due to discomfort in his left arm, and was replaced by Polanco. . RHP Charlie Morton, out with a sports hernia since Aug. 15, will throw a light bullpen session on Friday. Phillies: LF Domonic Brown didnt start because of a bruised left shoulder. He likely wouldnt have played anyway against a left-handed pitcher, manager Ryne Sandberg said. . Sandberg said there is still no timetable for the return of SS Jimmy Rollins, who strained his left hamstring on Monday. UP NEXT Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.89) gets the ball in the opener of three-game series with the visiting Chicago Cubs. Cole, 4-0 against the Cubs, will oppose LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (4-2,2.95). Phillies: LHP Cole Hamels (8-7, 2.56), who owns the NLs third-lowest ERA, opens the weekend series against visiting Miami. He will face Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez (10-6,2.88). END OF THE LINE Phillies CF Ben Revere snapped an 0-for-14 slump with a sixth inning single. It was the longest hitless streak of the season for Revere, who entered in fourth place in the NL batting race. Pirates: Marte had two streaks end: a 10-game hitting streak and a run of five consecutive multi-hit games. Adrian Beltre Jersey . On Tuesday, the star questioned whether that was still the case. Speaking to reporters at a charity event, Johnson said: "I just kind of wonder sometimes: Is this still the place for me?" Johnsons comments came after he was asked why he recently skipped a voluntary minicamp. Rougned Odor Jersey . (January 11, 2014) – Once again Kevin Martin proved why he is the all-time TSN skins leader, winning $11,500 in prize money and a spot in the Travelers All-Star Curling Skins Game presented by Pintys final following a semifinal victory over Brad Jacobs earlier this evening at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in Banff, Alta. http://www.texasrangersshop.com/rangers-ivan-rodriguez-jersey/ . According to the Globe and Mail, a decision between the NHL and the Players Association should come within the six months. "I can tell you, (a decision) shouldnt take all that long," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Globe and Mail. Nolan Ryan Jersey .C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes used a strong third period to extend their winning streak to three games. Ferguson Jenkins Jersey .This one was bigger than most.Ben Roethlisberger and LeVeon Bell came up big in a game that Pittsburgh had to win Sunday, leading the Steelers to a 42-21 drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals that left the AFC North race wide open. HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh has earned his spot in the Astros rotation. McHugh allowed two hits over 8 2-3 stellar innings as the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Sunday. McHugh (2-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 22 to make a start after Scott Feldman had been placed on the disabled list, followed up his first outing where he struck out 12 and allowed three hits in 6 2-3 innings at Seattle on Tuesday with another dominant performance. "When we sent him out there in the ninth it was with the complete hope that he was going to be able to finish what he started," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "That was tremendous. Attacking the strike zone with all three of his pitches and to pitch that well against a really good hitting Oakland As lineup speaks volumes to Collin and the way he and (Carlos) Corporan worked today." McHugh struck out seven and walked three, allowing one run in the longest outing of his career. His previous longest outing had been seven innings on Aug. 23, 2012, against Colorado when he was a member of the New York Mets. "I actually wasnt even thinking about the hits," McHugh said. "I was more mad about the walks. I walked a couple guys early, and with this team, you cant really give them free base runners because anyone in that lineup can do damage to you. As I kind of got momentum, I started to roll with it, and it got easier to make pitches and kind of feel the flow and go with it." After the first, McHugh retired 23 of the next 24 batters, including 19 straight before Brandon Moss was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth. Moss stole second and came around to score on Alberto Callaspos single -- McHughs first run allowed in 15 1-3 innings this season. Porter said McHugh has "earned his keep". "I dont think he put us in a tough spot; I think he put himself in a really good spot," Porter said. "Performance pretty much speaks for itself. This guy has earned the right to get the ball the next turn." McHugh said he hadnt had a lot of consistent starts in his career, so to know he would get the ball again in five days felt nice. He became the first pitcher in Astros history go 6 2-3 innings or more while allowing one run or less with seven or more strikeouts in each of his first two starts as an Astro.dddddddddddd Raul Valdes got the final out to complete the two hitter. Jed Lowrie, who singled in the first inning, drew a walk in the third for McHughs lone base runner until the ninth. "He had a great cutter early on and was a little bit harder with his stuff early on," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of McHugh. "Then coming back later in the game he mixed in his curveball better and his change-up. He really did keep us off balance." The right-hander, who Houston claimed off waivers from Colorado during the off-season, got out of trouble in the first after loading the bases with two outs with a walk to Callaspo by getting Josh Reddick to pop out to end the inning. Jose Altuve had two hits, including a two-run home run in the seventh, and Jonathan Villar also had two hits, including a two-run triple. Tommy Milone (0-2) allowed four runs on five hits with two strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. The left-hander was just effective for most of the day, retiring 12 out of 13, including nine in a row, but he ran into trouble in the seventh. Villar extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-out, two-run triple to the left centerfield gap in the seventh, scoring Matt Dominguez and Carlos Corporan and ending Milones day. Altuve greeted Dan Otero with a two-run home run to the Crawford Boxes in left to up the lead to 5-0. Dexter Fowler gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the third with a groundout scoring Villar, who had doubled with one out and reached third on an Altuve single. NOTES: Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a strained left hamstring. Cespedes left in the seventh inning of Oaklands 10-1 win over Houston on Thursday after legging out an infield single. ... Feldman, who has been on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 18 with right bicep tendinitis, threw Saturday and was fine and was on track to make his next scheduled start, manager Bo Porter said, adding that could be either May 3 or May 4. Feldman is eligible to come off the DL May 3. Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '