The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Charlie Morton had no expectations when he took the mound in a major league game for the first time in a month.
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WHO: Boston Red Sox (Clay Buchholz 8-8) at Pittsburgh Pirates (Liriano 5-10)
WHEN: 7:05 p.m. Wednesday
TELEVISION: NESN
Yet he exceeded his manager’s expectations Tuesday night, coming off the disabled list to gain his first victory since July 2 as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Red Sox 4-0 for their ninth win in 11 games.
“I just wanted to go out and give what I’ve got,” Morton said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. I’m glad with the way it turned out.”
Sidelined since Aug. 16 because of right hip inflammation and a sports hernia, Morton (6-12) allowed four hits in five innings, struck out six and walked two. He had been 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA in his eight previous starts.
“We felt we’ve got a guy there, we needed to see where he could go and what he could bring,” Pittsburgh Manager Clint Hurdle said. “We didn’t want to wait any longer. We wanted to see what he could bring and adjust accordingly. He worked very hard (while on the DL) and his preparation paid off. It was a real shot in the arm.”
Five pitchers combined on three-hit relief, completing the Pirates’ eighth shutout this season. Boston has been shut out 15 times,
Pittsburgh entered 1½ games ahead of Milwaukee for the NL’s second wild card and 3½ games behind St. Louis, the NL Central leader.
Russell Martin hit a two-run homer in the second inning off rookie Anthony Ranaudo (3-3), and Starling Marte added a solo shot in the sixth. Travis Snider added an RBI single in the seventh against Tommy Layne.
Ranaudo lost his third straight start, giving up three runs, four hits and three walks in 52/3 innings. He has allowed 10 homers in his first six big league starts.
“There was a bad pitch in there to Martin and one to Marte,” Ranaudo said. “If we look back at all my starts, the common theme is home runs and I obviously have to do a better job.”
Xander Bogaerts of Boston had two hits to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
The Red Sox were hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring positon and stranded eight runners.
NOTES: Red Sox: infielder-outfielder Brock Holt will be examined by a concussion specialist, Dr. Michael Collins, on Thursday in Pittsburgh. Holt hasn’t played since Sept. 5. … Boston plans to call up center fielder Rusney Castillo from Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday night for his major league debut. The Red Sox signed Castillo to a $72.5 million, seven-year contract Aug. 22.
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