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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Florida's A.J. Burnett beat the Pittsburgh
Pirates with a new pitch: strike one.
|  | | Throwing strikes was the key to Florida's A.J. Burnett shutting out the Pirates for eight innings. |
Burnett pitched eight shutout innings and the Marlins gave new
manager Tony Perez his first win with a 5-0 decision over the
Pirates on Tuesday night.
Burnett (3-2) rebounded from his worst start of the season by
allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out three. Last week
against the New York Mets, he allowed seven runs in four innings --
his shortest outing in 25 major league games.
"The scouting report we had said he was very erratic with his
control and you had to be patient against him," Pirates manager
Lloyd McClendon said. "But he pounded the strike zone pretty well.
He has three pitches he throws for strikes and he has a great
arm."
The scouting report was based on fact. Entering Tuesday's game,
Burnett had walked 20 in 25 innings with 19 strikeouts. Against San
Diego on May 12, he became the first pitcher in the modern era to
issue nine walks while pitching a no-hitter.
"We wanted to wait and make him throw strikes," Pirates
outfielder Brian Giles said. "But he threw them early in the count
and we had to start swinging."
Burnett made it easy for Perez, who was named interim manager on
Monday after John Boles was fired.
"The key was his pitching," Perez said. "The way we played
tonight we could beat anybody."
The Marlins finally had a game free of distractions. They were
involved in brushback incidents in the Mets series and they played
Monday's game against the Pirates hours after the managerial change
was made.
"We're going to come together," Burnett said. "Maybe tonight
is the first step."
Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for the Marlins because
Burnett had topped 100 pitches and Perez wanted to get some work
for his No. 1 reliever.
Florida scored two runs in the second against Jimmy Anderson
(3-4). Anderson walked Luis Castillo, gave up a single to Eric
Owens and hit Cliff Floyd with a pitch to load the bases. Mike
Lowell hit a sacrifice fly and Charles Johnson's single drove in
the second run.
The Marlins added a run in the seventh when Castillo singled,
stole and scored on Preston Wilson's single.
"If Jimmy throws like that the rest of the year, he'll be in
good shape and so will we," McClendon said.
Alex Gonzalez hit a home run, his third, off Terry Mulholland in
the eighth. Gonzalez is 4-for-7 with three RBI in two games. Floyd
hit his 14th homer in the ninth, also off Mulholland.
The Pirates had won two consecutive games. They have yet to win
three in a row this season.
Game notes
Castillo's single was just his third hit in his last 24
at-bats. ... The win was the Marlins' third in nine games. ...
Florida's last 12 home runs have come with the bases empty. ...
Anderson had seven strikeouts, a career best in 51 games and 41
starts. ... Anderson had been 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in five starts at
home. ... Atlanta and Tampa Bay are the only other teams that have
not won three consecutive games this season.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 6
Detroit 4
Toronto 4
Chi. White Sox 0
Texas 8
Kansas City 2
Minnesota 6
Anaheim 5
Tampa Bay 5
Oakland 1
Seattle 3
Baltimore 2
Chicago Cubs 10
Cincinnati 5
Florida 5
Pittsburgh 0
Philadelphia 7
NY Mets 3
Atlanta 7
Montreal 4
Milwaukee 7
St. Louis 0
San Diego 5
Houston 4
Colorado 7
Los Angeles 2
Arizona 1
San Francisco 0
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