Ohlendorf pitches Bucs past Padres

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Adam LaRoche was impressed with how a couple of young teammates helped the Pirates overcome three big injuries.

LaRoche hit a pair of home runs and replacements Robinson Diaz and Brian Bixler each had two RBIs to back a strong start by Ross Ohlendorf, and Pittsburgh beat the San Diego Padres 8-3 on Sunday.

“We could have gotten squeezed if some of these guys didn’t just jump right in there and produce,” LaRoche said.

In the last week, the Pirates have lost two starters to the 15-day disabled list — catcher Ryan Doumit (right wrist) and shortstop Jack Wilson (sprained left middle finger). In addition, starting center fielder Nate McLouth has missed three straight games with a strained side muscle.

Rookie Robinson Diaz played for Doumit and Bixler was in for Wilson as Pittsburgh won for the fifth time in six games.

“Guys realize where we are at losing [players],” Pittsburgh manager John Russell said. “We had some guys step up. The bench has done a great job and guys are picking each other up.”

Ohlendorf (2-2) did his part after allowing a long two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez in the first inning. The right-hander settled down, allowing two more hits over the next six innings before Edgar Gonzalez knocked him out of the game with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth.

“I knew I was throwing the ball well in the first inning,” said Ohlendorf. “Other than [the homer], I felt good. After that, I was able to get a lot of groundballs with my sinker.”

After the first, the only hits Ohlendorf allowed over the next six innings were a pinch-hit double to Drew Macias in the fifth and a sixth-inning single to Adrian Gonzalez.