SAN DIEGO ? Adam LaRoche drilled a pair of home runs and Ross Ohlendorf pitched seven strong innings Sunday, as the Pirates routed the San Diego Padres, 8-3.
The Pirates (11-7) have won five of their past six games. It's the latest in a season they've four games over .500 since they were 14-10 on April 30, 2002. LaRoche broke a 2-2 tie ? and snapped a personal 0-for-8 skid at the plate ? by homering in the fifth inning.
Nyjer Morgan led off with a single. Ramon Vazquez walked. With one out, LaRoche ripped the first pitch from Jake Peavy into the right field seats.
It was LaRoche's second homer in 11 career at-bats against Peavy. LaRoche also hit a solo shot in the ninth off Luis Perdomo, giving him his 10th career double-homer game.
Peavy (2-3) went five innings and allowed five runs on six hits. He struck out six, but also walked four.
The Padres took a 2-0 lead in the first when Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer off Ross Ohlendorf.
The Pirates tied it in the fourth. Brandon Moss singled and Adam LaRoche walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, Robinzon Diaz lined a first-pitch, two-run single to right.
After Gonzalez's homer, Ohlendorf did not give up another hit until Drew Macias doubled in the fifth. Macias stumbled going around second base and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Gonzalez singled with one out in the sixth, but Chase Headley followed by grounding into a double play.
Ohlendorf (2-2) allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two. He left the game after serving up Edgar Gonzalez's pinch-homer to start the eighth.
The Pirates' starting rotation leads the majors with 12 quality starts.
