Burnett wins again as Bucs top Phillies

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA

A new catcher didn’t affect A.J. Burnett’s groove.

Burnett threw 62/3 sharp innings to win his eighth straight start, Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Thursday.

Pedro Alvarez also went deep for Pittsburgh, which split the four-game set in Philadelphia by winning the last two. The surprising Pirates, seeking their first winning season since 1992, are 40-35 and second in the NL central.

Burnett (9-2) allowed three runs and six hits, striking out seven. The winning streak is his longest, and it’s the first time a Pirates pitcher has won eight in a row since Dock Ellis in 1974.

Michael McKenry caught Burnett for the first time because starter Rod Barajas is injured.

“I was really impressed with McKenry,” Burnett said. “He was outstanding. I can’t say enough about him. It was a pleasure to work with him. He picked up where Rod left off.”

Joel Hanrahan tossed a scoreless ninth for his 20th save in 22 tries. He retired Hunter Pence on a shallow fly with the tying run on third to end it.

Eric Kratz and Pence hit homers for the Phillies.

The Pirates jumped on Kyle Kendrick (2-8) for five runs before he recorded a second out in the first.

“Gave us a chance to win, pitched deep into the game, which they needed me to,” Kendrick said. “We came up short.”

Drew Sutton led off with an infield single and Neil Walker walked. One out later, Garrett Jones hit an RBI single. McGehee followed with a three-run shot to left. Alvarez then lined one out to right to make it 5-0.

McGehee has five homers and 15 RBIs in June after driving in just six runs with no homers in the first two months.

“I think at one point I was trying to do too much,” McGehee said. “I was with a new team trying to make a good impression. Then I went back to just trying to hit the ball up the middle of the field.”

Kratz connected off Burnett in the second to cut it to 5-2.