A.J. Burnett pitches complete game in Pirates' 5-1 win

A.J. Burnett pitched a complete game as the Pirates won 5-1 Sunday afternoon to take two of three from the Rockies.

Burnett struck out nine, walking one and allowing eight singles. He threw 110 pitches.

Offensively, Starling Marte led off the Pirates' half of the first with a double, and Andrew McCutchen singled him home two batters later. In the third, Neil Walker led off with a double, then came home on Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly.

Walker was still on the bases due to a smart baserunning play. With the bases loaded, Walker at third and none out, D.J LeMahieu fielded Russell Martin's grounder and stepped on third, then threw home. Walker, however, simply returned to third, even though McCutchen was already standing there. McCutchen was already out, however, so Walker was free to return to the base.

The Bucs' biggest hit came in the fifth, however. McCutchen walked with one out, Pedro Alvarez followed him with a single, and Martin crushed a Manuel Corpas pitch to deep left for a three-run homer. Martin also gunned down a runner in the first.

The Pirates are now 67-44, 1.5 games up on the Cardinals in the NL Central.