DETROIT — Veteran A.J. Burnett pitched seven-hit ball over seven innings Wednesday night and Neil Walker hit a pair of home runs good for three runs in leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
The right-handed Burnett (7-3) spotted his fastball, clocked largely at 90-92 mph, and used sharp off-speed stuff to keep Detroit in check. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out four.
Right-hander Jared Hughes pitched the eighth for Pittsburgh and right-hander Arquimedes Caminero worked the ninth, giving up catcher James McCann’s fourth home run on his first pitch.
Tigers right-hander Joba Chamberlain gave up three solo home runs in the eighth. Second baseman Walker, who hit a two-run home in the third, bounced his sixth home run off the top of the left-field wall, left fielder Starling Marte hit his 11th, to left, and designated hitter Pedro Alvarez smashed his 11th close to the brick wall in deep right center field.
Right-hander Alfredo Simon (7-5) of Detroit was erratic with his split-finger fastball, his key pitch. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven but also gave up 15 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Simon gave up two hits without allowing a run in each of the first two innings, but Pittsburgh erupted for seven hits and five runs in the third to take a 5-1 lead.
Walker’s fifth home run of the season snuck just inside the right-field foul pole after third baseman Josh Harrison doubled to open the third. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen singled, designated hitter Pedro Alvarez doubled and catcher Francisco Cervelli drove in a run with a groundout to second.
Right fielder Gregory Polanco followed with an RBI single and the fifth run of the inning scored as Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias threw wide for an error on shortstop Jordy Mercer’s single to short.
Right-hander Al Alburquerque relieved Simon with two outs in the sixth and threw a run-scoring wild pitch with runners on first and third, putting the Pirates ahead 6-1.
Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes drove in a run in the bottom of the sixth with a groundout that scored designated hitter Victor Martinez from third. Martinez doubled with one out and advanced on Burnett’s wild pitch.
Detroit opened the scoring in the second on consecutive singles by Cespedes, right fielder J.D. Martinez and third baseman Nick Castellanos.
NOTES: Tigers RHP Alex Wilson got Wednesday off after throwing 57 pitches in 3 1/3 innings the previous night. He has now pitched in every inning through 14 at some point this season. … Pittsburgh’s 17-9 June was the third-best record in baseball for the month. … Detroit RF J.D. Martinez has hit 43 home runs since making his Tigers debut on April 21, 2014, with 20 coming in the seventh inning or later. … Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett entered Wednesday’s start needing six strikeouts to pass LHP Jim Kaat (2,461) for the 35th highest total in major league history.