Marlins finish sweep of Bucs

Associated Press

MIAMI

Scott Cousins hit a grand slam for his first career home run, Brett Hayes added a three-run shot and the Florida Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 on Thursday night to finish off a three-game sweep.

Cousins’ shot to right-center field gave Florida the lead in the second inning.

Hayes extended the lead to 8-1 in the third with his first home run of the season. Both of the home runs came off James McDonald (0-2), who lasted just three innings for Pittsburgh.

Chris Volstad (1-1) allowed five runs in 51/3 innings for the Marlins, who also got a home run from Mike Stanton and pounded out nine hits in the game.

Pittsburgh cut the lead to 9-5 in the sixth inning before Matt Diaz grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Pedro Alvarez homered, had three hits and drove in two runs for the Pirates.

The Marlins scored five runs in the second inning, when Gaby Sanchez led off with a walk, Greg Dobbs followed with a base hit and Stanton walked to load the bases. Cousins followed with his homer to right field, giving Florida a 4-1 lead.

The inning wasn’t over, either.

Brett Hayes doubled to deep center, and Volstad bunted into a fielder’s choice to send him to third. Emilio Bonifacio was hit by a pitch and Omar Infante singled to center to load the bases again, and Hanley Ramirez grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice.

Sanchez came up for the second time in the inning and struck out to end it.

The Marlins struck again in the third, when Stanton drew a one-out walk and Cousins doubled to left. Hayes’ three-run shot to right field made it 8-1.

John Bowker got a run back with an RBI groundout in the fifth for Pittsburgh, before Stanton answered with his solo shot in the bottom half of the inning.

Pittsburgh added three more runs in the sixth, when Alvarez, Chris Snyder and Josh Rodriguez drove in runs to trim the lead to 9-5. Matt Diaz grounded into a double play to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.