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MIAMI -- Miami Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez had thrown only 72 pitches after six shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates when manager Mike Redmond yanked him for a pinch-hitter. The game was scoreless, the bases were loaded, and Redmond figured Miami might not muster another threat. His move paid off when pinch-hitter Placido Polanco put the Marlins ahead with an infield single, and they went on to win 2-0 Friday night. "Its always a tough decision when somebody is pitching as well as Alvarez was," Redmond said. "But thats the best pitching staff in the National League that were going against, and I wasnt sure we were going to get another chance. We went for it, and it worked out." Lowly Miami beat the Pirates at their own game, combining dominant pitching with just enough offence. Alvarez earned his first National League victory, and four relievers completed a five-hitter. The shutout was only the third by the Marlins, but their starters have an ERA of 2.44 since the All-Star break. Theyre 4-4 over that stretch even though they have totalled only 15 runs. "Its unreal going in knowing you have a chance even though the bats havent been there, and knowing one run may be enough," slugger Giancarlo Stanton said. "You can go about the game completely differently." Stanton provided an insurance run in the seventh with his 12th homer. Jeff Locke (9-3) allowed two earned runs in 6 2-3 innings and had a career-high nine strikeouts, but he lost for the first time in his past 10 road starts. He walked six, and his ERA rose to 2.15. "Kind of sloppy," the left-hander said. "I felt really good, but just command wasnt there." Alvarez (1-1) hit 98 mph on the radar gun, gave up just two hits in six innings, and lowered his ERA to 2.64. "That was a great performance," Redmond said. "Thats the hardest Ive seen him throw. You could tell he was pumped up. When youre playing a playoff team, its good to see guys take it up a notch." The start was Alvarezs fifth after he sat out the first half of the season because of right shoulder inflammation. "He just had explosive stuff," the Pirates Russell Martin said. "His fastball was electric." Steve Cishek, Miamis fifth pitcher, gave up a pair of two-out singles in the ninth inning but earned his 21st save in 23 chances, including 16 in a row. He retired pinch-hitter Jose Tabata on a groundout with two on to end the game. Pittsburgh managed only six baserunners, including one erased on a double play, and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The Pirates struck out six times in the final three innings against Marlins relievers. The game was scoreless until the sixth, when Locke gave up two walks sandwiched around a single by rookie Jake Marisnick, his first major-league hit. With the bases loaded and one out, Polanco batted for Alvarez and tapped a dribbler toward third for an RBI infield hit. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez charged to field the ball but made no throw. "We went for it," Redmond said. "It wasnt pretty, but it worked." Stanton went 2 for 2 with two walks in four trips to the plate. He led off the seventh inning with a homer off Locke. "I got the sense he was like, All right, he hasnt seen anything all day. Im going to see what he can do with it," Stanton said. "Youve got to make sure you take advantage of that." The Marlins had a hit in each of the first five innings, but during that stretch they grounded into a double play and had two runners thrown out. Catcher Martin absorbed a blow when he tagged out Jeff Mathis, who was trying to score from first on Alvarezs two-out double in the second inning. Martin said he tweaked his left knee on the play, and he left the game in the seventh, but said the injury was minor. Jordy Mercer extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games with a single in the third. That was the Pirates lone hit until Starling Marte reached on a bunt single with two out in the sixth. Notes: RF Tabata (right forearm) was held out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row. ... Pittsburgh 1B Gaby Sanchez, a Miami native and former Marlin, had 25 friends and relatives at the game in a suite provided by the Marlins. ... RHP Charlie Morton, scheduled to start Saturday, is 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA in six starts against the Marlins. Cheap NFL Jerseys Shop .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Supply NFL Jerseys . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. http://www.wholesalechinajerseys.net/ .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Authentic . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Cheap NFL jerseys China . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Toronto Blue Jays have remained in the thick of the AL playoff race despite a dismal start to September.Thanks to some familiar big bats and a well-rested knuckleballer, the Jays are finally gathering a bit of momentum for the pennant race.Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer, R.A. Dickey pitched scoreless ball into the sixth inning and Toronto stayed atop the AL wild-card chase with a 5-0 victory over the freefalling Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.Edwin Encarnacion added a late two-run homer for the Blue Jays (81-66), who stayed even with Baltimore for the leagues two wild cards. Both teams trail Boston by two games for the AL East lead with 15 to play.We look at it, of course, Dickey said. Thats part of a postseason run. Youre competing against teams in your division that are good. We know what we need to do to get where we want to get.Toronto has lost seven of 11 overall, but took the first two games of a weekend series with the Angels, who have lost five straight and nine of 10. The Blue Jays have won consecutive games for the first time in September.Hopefully, maybe this is the start of a little roll, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. It would be good timing if it was.Dickey (10-14) bolstered his case to keep a rotation spot by limiting the Angels to seven hits and striking out five. His first start since Sept. 5 began with a rough first inning before he settled in.Its not ideal to pitch once every 10 days, especially for a knuckleball pitcher, Dickey said. It was a little bit of a challenge to find the release point and the grip. Once I got that, it was easier.The Angels chased Dickey and loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth, but failed to score against Joe Biagini when Kaleb Cowart flied out to end the inning. Cowart also struck out to end the eighth, stranding two more Angels.Roberto Osuna got four outs for his 33rd save.EDWINS EDGEEncarnacions homer in the ninth inning was his 40th, boosting his AL-leading RBI total to a career-high 118. Hee joined Jose Bautista and Carlos Delgado as the only Blue Jays with multiple 40-homer seasons.dddddddddddd.Its a nice number to reach, Encarnacion said. Im really happy to be part of that group. Those two guys are big horses.WEAVE DOWNJered Weaver (11-12) matched his career high for losses despite throwing six mostly sharp innings of seven-hit ball for Los Angeles, striking out four.My fastball command was really good all night, Weaver said. Its the best its been in a while. I was able to locate down and in all night. Just one stupid pitch, and thats the difference in the game.Tulowitzki connected in the fourth inning on that pitch from his fellow product of nearby Long Beach States prolific baseball program. The homer, Tulowitzkis second in September, was the 36th allowed by the slow-throwing Weaver this season, one shy of James Shields for most in the majors.ALBERTS 600THAlbert Pujols became the 16th player in big league history to get 600 career doubles with a drive into the left-field corner in the first inning. Pujols joined Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron as the only players with at least 575 homers and 600 doubles.FAN INJUREDA fan behind the Angels dugout was injured when Carlos Perezs bat went flying into the crowd as he swung and missed at a third strike in the second inning. Medical personnel spent several minutes attending to the fan, who was escorted from her seat with an injury on the right side of her head.TRAINERS ROOMBlue Jays: Josh Donaldson was the designated hitter for the second straight game as he returns deliberately from a hip injury. Darwin Barney played third.UP NEXTBlue Jays: Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.16 ERA) limited Tampa Bay to three hits and two runs in his last start.Angels: Ricky Nolasco (5-14, 4.94) has just one win since joining Los Angeles, but it was a shutout at Angel Stadium. He has never beaten Toronto in four career starts. ' ' '