Five Miami pitchers combine to blank Bucs

Associated Press

MIAMI

Six walks and no run support were a bad combination for Jeff Locke.

The Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander had a career-high nine strikeouts, but shaky control cost him in a 2-0 loss Friday to the Miami Marlins.

“I felt the way it looked — kind of all over the place,” he said. “Kind of sloppy. I felt really good, but just command wasn’t there.”

A lack of offense left him no margin for error. Henderson Alvarez earned his first National League victory, Giancarlo Stanton hit his 12th homer, and Miami managed another low-scoring victory.

The shutout was only the third by the Marlins, but their starters have an ERA of 2.44 since the All-Star break. They are 4-4 over that stretch even though they have totaled only 15 runs.

“It’s unreal going in knowing you have a chance even though the bats haven’t been there, and knowing one run may be enough,” Stanton said. “You can go about the game completely differently.”

Locke (9-3) allowed only two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings but lost for the first time in his past 10 road starts. His ERA rose to 2.15.

Alvarez (1-1) hit 98 mph on the radar gun, gave up just two hits in six innings and lowered his ERA to 2.64.

“That was a great performance,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “That’s the hardest I’ve seen him throw. You could tell he was pumped up. When you’re playing a playoff team, it’s good to see guys take it up a notch.”

The start was Alvarez’s fifth after he sat out the first half of the season with right shoulder inflammation.

“He just had explosive stuff,” the Pirates’ Russell Martin said. “His fastball was electric.”

Steve Cishek, Miami’s fifth pitcher, gave up a pair of two-out singles in the ninth inning but earned his 21st save in 23 chances, including 16 in a row. He retired pinch-hitter Jose Tabata on a groundout with two on to end the game, completing a five-hitter.

Pittsburgh managed only six runners, including one erased on a double play, and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The Pirates struck out six times in the final three innings against Marlins relievers.

Martin said he tweaked his left knee blocking home plate on a play in the second inning. He left the game in the seventh and said he would likely take today off, but expected to play Sunday.

“Just a little tweak,” he said. “I’ve actually had something like this before, and I played with it in the past. It’s a little uncomfortable, but it doesn’t keep me from doing anything physically.”

Martin absorbed a blow when he tagged out Jeff Mathis, who was trying to score from first on Alvarez’s two-out double in the second inning.