Andy LaRoche drove in two runs and Daniel McCutchen won for the first time in the majors Friday in Pittsburgh's 3-1 victory over Cincinnati. The win, Pittsburgh's fifth in six outings, ensured the Pirates would avoid a 100-loss season. LaRoche had a two-run single in the third to break a scoreless tie and Lastings Milledge hit a solo homer in the fourth. McCutchen (1-2), making his sixth start in the major leagues, allowed a run on four hits with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

A two-run homer in the eighth inning by Garrett Jones Thursday rallied the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 win over Philadelphia. The Pirates won twice in the three-game series and have seven victories in their last nine contests. Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton gave up two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in six innings, but he was in position to be the losing pitcher when he left the game. Instead, the Pittsburgh comeback gave the victory to Denny Bautista (1-0), who was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis last weekend.

Ronny Cedeno hit a two-run homer Wednesday, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Milwaukee 3-1 and finish off a three-game sweep. The homer, Cedeno's fourth of the season, gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the second, and was his third since Pittsburgh acquired him from Seattle last month. Delwyn Young had two hits and one RBI for the Pirates, who made the most of five hits. Winner Paul Maholm (7-7) gave up a run and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings with two walks and five strikeouts. Closer Matt Capps earned his 22nd save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Milwaukee's run scored on Ryan Braun's sixth-inning single.

Ryan Ludwick and Skip Schumaker drove in two runs each Sunday, helping St.

Struggling Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps worked out of a ninth-inning jam Friday for a 5-4 win over Washington and the Pirates halted a five-game losing streak. The Pirates presented a new-look roster after a series of trades with Seattle, San Francisco and the Chicago Cubs.