PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco stepped into the batters box with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning. Ali Marpet Youth Jersey . His team led the Miami Marlins by a run, and he had a golden opportunity to put the game out of reach. After taking two pitches out of the zone, he fouled one back behind the third-base dugout. The next was hit foul down the left field line. Polancos third cut did the trick as he laced left-hander Brian Flynns 2-2 offering to his opposite field for a two-run single that gave the Pirates a three-run lead. The rookie finished 2 for 4 and drove in four runs, Edinson Volquez pitched one-hit ball over seven innings, and Pittsburgh beat Miami 7-2 Thursday night. "I was just trying to see the ball and not hurry with my swing," Polanco said. "He was throwing really good. Thats why I was fouling off so many balls." Polanco is showing he can handle left-handers early in his big league career. "I think thats the third time hes shown that ability to hit a ball into left field off a left-hander," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "When theyre throwing down and away, he stayed out over the plate and covered it." Marlins reliever Dan Jennings was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Jordy Mercer in the seventh. Miami manager Mike Redmond said Jennings had his eyes open and was responding to questions when he was on the mound. After the game, the Marlins announced that a CT scan on Jennings was negative and that he was diagnosed with a concussion. He was kept in a hospital overnight for observation. Jennings momentarily stumbled before going to his knees after the play. He stood up to get in a cart and held up a hand to acknowledge the crowd as he was driven off the field. Volquez (9-7) didnt allow a hit until the fifth, when Donovan Solano singled with one out. Volquez struck out seven batters and walked three. Flynn (0-1) was chased before he got an out in the fifth. Mercers leadoff double started a three-run fourth. Polancos two-run single made it 3-0. Mercer and Gaby Sanchez added RBI singles in the fifth. Mercer finished with three hits and scored twice, and Josh Harrison extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games. Polanco hit a two-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton hit his 27th homer of the season, a two-run drive in the ninth for the Marlins. "Its just one of those nights," Redmond said. "Weve got to be able to swing with these guys and we werent able to do it." TRAINERS ROOM Marlins: 1B John Baker was held out of the game after fouling a ball off his foot Wednesday night. Pirates: Center fielder Andrew McCutchen (rib) missed his third straight game. Hurdle said the reigning MVP is adding to his recovery routine but it is still in a "wait-and-see" situation as to whether he will go on the disabled list. ... Second baseman Neil Walker (back) sat out for the fourth time in five games. ... Infielder Clint Barmes (groin) is nearing a return, with baserunning being the only obstacle in the way of a plan to come off the DL. UP NEXT Marlins: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-6, 4.22 ERA) starts for the Marlins against RHP Mike Leake (9-9, 3,46 ERA) on Friday night as Miami continues its six-game trip in Cincinnati. Eovaldi makes his second career start against the Reds. He pitched seven innings and allowed a run on two hits in Miamis extra-inning win Saturday. Pirates: Pittsburgh opens a three-game set with San Diego at home as RHP Vance Worley (4-1, 2.43 ERA) faces RHP Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.59 ERA). Worley has allowed just one run in his last two starts, which included his first career shutout on July 28 in San Francisco. GETAWAY DAY STRIKE ZONE Of Volquezs seven strikeouts Thursday night, four were called third strikes. After Volquez one-hit the Miami Marlins for seven innings, Redmond thought the Pirates right-hander received aid from the umpire, "He got some help back (behind the plate) too," Redmond said. "He got some strike calls there. A lot of them." Ali Marpet Womens Jersey . Montreal Alouettes offensive lineman Scott Flory is expected to be named the new President of the CFLPA, according to the Hamilton Spectators Drew Edwards. Tim Wright Jersey . -- A few drivers, like Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, raced onto the track to get in their qualifying sessions.MIAMI -- Slugger Giancarlo Stanton hasnt changed his opinion about spacious Marlins Park. He still considers it a pitchers park and dislikes the dimensions. His Miami Marlins teammates are trying mightily to change his mind. The Marlins begin a six-game homestand Tuesday against Philadelphia with a 17-5 home record, best in the majors. In a ballpark considered unfriendly to hitters, Miami is averaging 5.7 runs per game, second-best in the majors at home. Stantons leading the way. He has found the distant fences annoying since the park opened in 2012, but he nonetheless has 31 RBIs at home, the most in the majors. In Miami he has seven homers, a .354 batting average and a 1.166 OPS. However, Stanton still insists the Marlins home is a pitchers park. "It is in terms of power, but this conversation is not relevant," he said with a frown. "I dont want to talk about complaining about the ballpark." That would be unseemly when the Marlins have outscored opponents 125-70 at home. The differential is especially eye-popping because theyve been outscored 114-79 on the road, where their record is 6-17, worst in the majors. They concluded another dismal trip Sunday, going 4-7 and losing ace Jose Fernandez to a season-ending elbow injury. But theyve been the mighty Marlins at home, which is a big change. In their first two seasons at Marlins Park, the home team averaged 3.6 runs per game, third-worst in the majors. But theyve altered their lineup and their approach at the plate. As a result, the Marlins home batting average is .296, second-best in the majors. "Its really extraordinary what theyre doing this year -- a perfect example of how youve got to attack your home field," New York Mets manager Terry Collins said. With the distances to the wall 386 feet in left centre, 398 in right centre and 418 in centre, Marlins hitters have stopped grousing and started driving the ball into the roomy power alleys. They rank among the major-league leaders with 47 doubles and six triples at home. "We knew it was going to be tough to hit home runs," manager Mike Redmond said. "But we talked during spring training about leading the league in doubles and puttting balls in the gaps. Gerald McCoy Buccaneers Jersey. The field is so big you dont have to hit home runs to do damage. You can hit triples and doubles, and you can go first to third on a single up the middle. You dont have to swing for the fences. You can stay within yourself and still be rewarded." Even Stanton agrees. He has seen a lot of 400-foot flyouts since Marlins Park opened, but he has also watched his team score runs in bunches this year. "Youre not going to win by hitting homers here," Stanton said. "But if you understand that the guy on first is in scoring position, thats going to work to our advantage. On a normal double, here you can score from first standing up a lot of the time. We understand that and are taking advantage of it." The Marlins tailored their lineup to the ballpark last off-season by acquiring left-handed hitter Garrett Jones and switch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Both have homered into the upper deck in right field, where the stands are most reachable. "The easier way to hit home runs in this ballpark is for a left-handed hitter, so we did try to bring in some left-handed power," Redmond said. Miami also signed Casey McGehee, a right-handed hitter who bats mostly cleanup. He has only one homer but is hitting .422 with runners in scoring position. "Theyve done here of using the field to hit all sorts of different ways -- a drag bunt, balls hit up the middle," Collins said. "Youve got to tip your hat that theyve made those adjustments. This is a tough park to hit in. What theyve done is found guys who put the ball in play and are difficult to defence." Other opponents agree, but some also speculate about hidden reasons for the way the Marlins hit in their home park. When Miami scored 23 runs to sweep a three-game series at home against Atlanta last month, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez jokingly wondered if the Marlins had a spy in the outfield tipping their hitters on pitches. "We got in their heads a little bit," Redmond said. Its good to have visiting teams scratching their heads. And for the Marlins, who are above .500 despite their woeful road record, its good to be home. wholesale jerseys wholesale jerseys cheap soccer jerseys cheap nhl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' '
