Bucs Steamroll D-Backs 8-0

The Bucs started fast, loading the bases in the first on two singles and a walk. A foul out and whiff later, things didn't look quite as promising, but Pete delivered a two-out knock scoring Josh and Gregory to put the Bucs up 2-0 before Arizona could find the bat rack.

Frankie Liriano struggled with the lead; he gave up a couple of hits and four walks in the first four frames, but no runs. He had the K stuff going on with six and had some help from his friends - Starling Marte threw out one runner, and Chris Stewart picked off another.

The Pirates upped the ante in the fifth when a smokin' hot Walker drilled a two run double to plate Cutch and El Coffee. It came with an out, breaking a streak of eight straight two-out runs scored by Pittsburgh in the series and chasing Jeremy Hellickson. With the 4-0 lead, Francisco kicked it in gear and cruised through the fifth and sixth.

Frankie gets off the schneid (photo: Associated Press)

But Liriano and the strike zone once again parted ways in the seventh; he walked the 7-8 hitters with one gone. Who ya gonna call? Yep, Jared Hughes, who got a two-pitch 4-6-3 DP to keep things in order. The Pirates added another tally on a Chris Stewart sac fly, while Arizona went quietly in the eighth, with Arquimedes Caminero on the hill for the Bucs.

Pittsburgh piled it up in the ninth, when runs steaming home after a Polanco double, Cutch sac fly and birthday boy Sean Rodriguez knock to make it 8-0. Antonio Bastardo mopped it up to seal Frankie's first W, and the Bucs raised the Jolly Roger on a broomstick tonight.

Vance Worley faces Jason Hammel at Wrigley Field tomorrow night.

• The Kid is on a roll; his hitting streak is now at nine games. Walker really tortured the D-Backs, going 7 for 12 with four doubles.
• In fact, the Bucs 1-5 hitters (Josh, Gregory, Cutch, The Kid & Starling) went 11-for-21 with three doubles, three walks, eight runs scored and four RBI.
• The Pirates have won five in a row, their longest April winning streak since 2007, and gone 8-of-10 while sweeping two of the past three series. The Bucs didn't cobble together a five game streak last season until mid-September.
• Cutch ended an 0-for-16 streak with a fifth inning single. He had drawn three walks in his previous seven plate appearances.