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PITTSBURGH(AP)
Yusmeiro Petit
wasn't upset that he came close to a no-hitter, allowing a lone single in the eighth inning. After all, his second straight
win after almost a year of losing helped solidify his spot in the
Arizona Diamondbacks
' rotation.
Petit combined with Leonel Rosales on a one-hitter, and the Diamondbacks beat the
Pittsburgh Pirates
6-0 on Tuesday night.
''There's no disappointment at all,'' Petit said through translator
Miguel Montero
about losing the no-hitter. ''I felt good because it's a good game. Unfortunately, I give up the single but I still feel good
about the start.''
Petit (2-5), who snapped a seven-game losing streak with his first victory in more than 11 months in his most recent start,
walked three and struck out four in eight innings. The right-hander threw a season-high 108 pitches - 74s for strikes - in
going longer than seven innings for the first time in his career.
''It's a natural when a pitcher has got a lead to go right after guys, and he was able to do it with multiple pitches,'' Arizona
manager A.J. Hinch said. ''He threw a little cutter, threw a little breaking ball, threw a little changeup. He wasn't just
throwing fastballs down the middle; he was able to get guys to put the ball in play and get outs. That keeps a defense on
its toes and it keeps the game flowing.''
Fellow Venezuelan
Ronny Cedeno
lined a 76 mph changeup for a single to left after
Ramon Vazquez
led off the eighth with a walk, ending the quest for what would have been the second no-hitter in Diamondbacks history.
Randy Johnson
threw a perfect game May 18, 2004, at Atlanta.
''I didn't try to put too much pressure on myself in my last at-bat,'' Cedeno said. ''I just wanted to put the ball in play.
''He threw a very good game today. One hit? I'm lucky.''
Ryan Roberts
went 4 for 5 with two home runs for Arizona, which has won five of six and is 17-10 since July 4, while
Chris Young
homered and
Mark Reynolds
had three hits and an RBI.
Arizona had won only two of Petit's previous 10 starts but he pitched six shutout innings against Philadelphia in his last
outing, his first win since Aug. 23.
Petit, who said he didn't realize he was throwing a no-hitter until a fan yelled to remind him during the fifth inning, was
8-15 with a 5.76 in 59 appearances, 29 starts, in his career.
''The last few starts I feel like I'm part of the rotation now because I'm helping the team and pitching a lot better,'' Petit
said.
The Pirates have lost three straight and eight of 10. They have been shut out in their last three meetings with Arizona over
the past 11 days. They have been shut out 13 times in all, most in the majors.
All three Arizona homers off Pirates starter
Zach Duke
went to left-center field - the deepest part of PNC Park.
Roberts entered the game with three career homers over 82 games in four seasons with three teams. He hit a solo shot in the
third and another with
Stephen Drew
aboard in the fourth, meaning three of his four homers this season have come against Duke.
''I would have loved to be part of (a no-hitter),'' said Roberts, a second baseman who had three putouts and two assists.
''Every ball that's hit to me, I want to make a play. I love to see people do that and be part of it.''
Roberts' second homer came three batters after Young's two-run shot, his seventh, ended an 0-for-19 drought.
Duke (9-10) allowed five runs, nine hits and two walks in five innings, striking out one. It was only the third time this
season he allowed more than four earned runs in a game, the first since June 8.
''I left some pitches up, and they got hit hard,'' Duke said succinctly.
Pittsburgh has scored only 13 runs in his 10 losses.
''Obviously, their guy pitched a great game,'' Pirates manager
John Russell
said. ''We were fortunate, I think, to get one hit.
''It was just one of those nights. Things didn't go well on the mound, and when you don't pitch very well, things like that
tend to happen.''
NOTES: Pittsburgh has been no-hit only five times since 1900 and not since 1971, when
Bob Gibson
of St. Louis did it at Three Rivers Stadium on Aug. 14, 1971. It has happened only twice since 1929. ... The Pirates were
one-hit by three St. Louis pitchers on April 9. ... The only two no-hitters of 2009 have occurred in the past month: San Francisco's
Jonathan Sanchez
against San Diego on July 10 and the
Chicago White Sox
's
Mark Buehrle
pitching a perfect game against Tampa Bay in July 23. ... Pirates OF
Garrett Jones
was named NL rookie of the month for July, when he hit .310 with 10 home runs, 17 RBIs and a .700 slugging percentage. The
28-year-old was called up June 30 and is getting his first extended regular playing time in the majors.
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