LaRoche, Jones, Cedeno homer as Bucs snap skid

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andy LaRoche, Garrett Jones and Ronny Cedeno homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates won for only the second time in their past 14 games, 9-5 over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

The Pirates scored a total of four runs during a four-game losing streak and did not homer in their just-completed five-game trip. But eight of nine starters had hits Monday, seven scored and seven had at least one RBI.

Mike Cameron and Price Fielder homered for the Brewers, who failed to get back to .500 and fell seven games behind Colorado in the NL wild card.

Kevin Hart (4-2) earned his first win as a Pirate in three starts since being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on July 30. He allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings, striking out four.

The Pirates entered the game having lost 17 of their previous 20 and on an eight-game home losing streak.

They fell behind 1-0 when Felipe Lopez tripled to lead off the game — extending his hitting streak to 12 games — and Craig Counsell followed with an RBI single.

Pittsburgh homered in the next two innings. LaRoche hit his sixth, a solo shot with one out off Carlos Villanueva (2-10).

Jones’ homer — on the first pitch he saw in the third after Young had singled — was his 13th but only second with a runner on, and first in eight games. Jones was promoted to the majors on June 30 but leads all rookies in home runs.

The Pirates added three runs in the inning on RBI singles by Lastings Milledge and Hart and a double by Andrew McCutchen.

Cedeno’s third homer, to left with Milledge aboard, gave Pittsburgh a 9-5 lead in the seventh after Milwaukee had come back within two runs.

The Brewers trailed 6-1 heading into the fourth but Fielder lined the second pitch of the inning into the elevated seats in right field, his 31st homer.

With two outs and Ryan Braun on second in the sixth, Cameron hit his 17th homer — only his second since July 29.

Delwyn Young’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning pushed the Pirates’ lead back to three runs before Fielder added an RBI single in the seventh.

In four innings, Villanueva allowed six runs and 11 hits. He fell to 0-3 since being inserted into the rotation on July 28 and has lost his last seven decisions.

The Pirates set their rotation after being rained out Sunday. RHP Ross Ohlendorf will pitch tonight against the Brewers, followed by LHP Paul Maholm on Wednesday.

Cameron and Fielder have nine-game hitting streaks.

Pittsburgh’s only other victory since Aug. 1 — a 7-3 win over Colorado on Aug. 11 — had been the only time since then the team had scored at least seven runs.