Locke Tosses Three-Hit Shutout Against Marlins
MIAMI (AP) - Jeff Locke tossed a three-hitter and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 10-0 on Monday night.
Gregory Polanco's grand slam, Sean Rodriguez's two-run homer, and David Freese's four hits helped power the offense for the Pirates, who won the first of a four-game series in Miami. The first two games were originally scheduled to be played in Puerto Rico, but were moved due to concerns of the Zika virus.
Locke (4-3) struck out one and did not walk a batter while throwing 67 of 105 pitches for strikes. It was his first complete game in 101 career starts. Locke retired 19 straight at one point and needed just six pitches to get through the seventh inning.
The announced crowd of 10,856 was a season-low for the Marlins, who entered the day averaging just under 20,000.
Marlins starter Justin Nicolino (2-3) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings.
Nicolino left in the sixth after giving up a leadoff single to Andrew McCutchen with the Marlins trailing 2-0. Jose Urena relieved Nicolino and eventually loaded the bases for Polanco, who deposited a 2-1 change-up into the seats in right-center field for a 7-0 lead.
It was Polanco's first career grand slam and his eighth home run of the season. He has hit in eight straight games with three home runs and 12 RBIs during the stretch.
Jung Ho Kang and Freese had RBI singles to start the scoring for the Pirates.
Two of the Marlins' three hits were erased by double plays.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton (right side soreness) missed his sixth consecutive game, but could return Tuesday. . 2B Derek Dietrich entered the game in the fourth inning after being struck in the head by a foul ball while in the dugout during Sunday's game. "It was a scary situation that happened so fast, but you feel like you dodged a bullet," manager Don Mattingly said. . Dietrich replaced Miguel Rojas who appeared to hurt himself during his at-bat in the third.
UP NEXT
Pirates will send RHP Gerrit Cole (5-3, 2.53 ERA) to the mound Tuesday. Cole is 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA in his last four starts.
Marlins will counter with RHP Jose Fernandez (7-2, 2.82). Fernandez is 21-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 31 career starts at Marlins Park.
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