Orioles 5, Pirates 1

[May 02, 2014]  BALTIMORE — Nick Markakis swatted a solo homer and Ryan Flaherty added a two-run single as the Orioles improved to 6-1 at home against Pittsburgh in interleague play. Bud Norris (2-2) labored through 5 1/3 innings to win his second straight start, throwing 105 pitches and allowing one run on seven hits while walking one batter and hitting two more before five relievers combined to close it out.

Pedro Alvarez had three hits and an RBI single and Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte each added two hits for the slumping Pirates, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. Charlie Morton (0-4) remained winless, giving up four runs — two earned — on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Morton sailed through four scoreless innings but ran into trouble in the fifth following a 21-minute rain delay, when Baltimore loaded the bases with no outs on a lead single by Delmon Young, a walk and Alvarez's throwing error on a bunt. Pearce, designated for assignment last week and re-signed on Tuesday after Chris Davis was hurt, singled home the tying run in his first at-bat since April 13 and Flaherty followed with a two-run single.

The Orioles added to the lead in the sixth when Steve Clevenger reached on an error by second baseman Neil Walker before J.J. Hardy and Pearce followed with singles to make it 4-1 — the latter hit chasing Morton — and Markakis clubbed his first homer off reliever Jeanmar Gomez in the seventh. Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the third on Jose Tabata's leadoff triple and Alvarez's two-out single.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Orioles 3B Manny Machado was activated off the 15-day disabled list Thursday and will make his season debut in Game 2. The team also optioned INF infielder Steve Lombardozzi to Triple-A Norfolk. ... Alvarez, who was mired in a 2-for-19 slump, recorded only his second RBI in the past 11 games. ... Pearce had his first three-hit game since June 9, 2013, for Baltimore, which opens a six-game road trip Friday at Minnesota while Pittsburgh continues interleague play with a three-game set against visiting Toronto beginning Friday.

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