twins/mlb

Final Score: Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 1

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Andrew McCutchen smacked a three-run home run and Brad Lincoln tossed six-plus solid innings, as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Detroit Tigers, 4-1, at PNC Park.

Lincoln (4-2) did not allow a hit until the sixth inning and struck out seven in winning for the first time since May 14. One of the two hits Lincoln allowed was a home run to Miguel Cabrera, which led off the seventh.

"I just stuck with the game plan," Lincoln said. "I just wanted to give my team the best chance to win...and it worked out for me."

Pittsburgh got the run back in the bottom half on Neil Walker's RBI single, and the bullpen did the rest in the Pirates' fifth straight series victory at home.

Detroit had won four of five before dropping the first two meetings of this three-game set.

McCutchen took Tigers starter Max Scherzer deep over the left-field fence in the fourth inning after Alex Presley led off the frame with a double and Jose Tabata reached when he was hit by a pitch.

Scherzer (6-5) surrendered just one other hit in his six innings of work.

"I'm sure [Scherzer] would like to have one pitch back," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Other than that I thought he did a terrific job."

The only baserunner Lincoln allowed in the first five innings came on a two- out walk to Jhonny Peralta in the second.

He retired 10 in a row before Ramon Santiago recorded Detroit's first hit leading off the sixth, then retired the next three hitters.

Lincoln left one over the plate the next inning, and Cabrera deposited the starter's 79th and final pitch over the wall in right-center field.

Four Pirates relievers -- Juan Cruz, Tony Watson, Jason Grilli and Joel Hanrahan -- combined to allow two hits over the final three innings to close out the victory.

Hanrahan gave up a single and a walk with two outs in the ninth, but struck out Alex Avila on three pitches to earn his 19th save.

Game Notes

The Pirates have won eight of their last nine series overall and will go for the sweep on Sunday with Kevin Correia slated to start opposite Tigers ace Justin Verlander...Scherzer walked one and struck out seven. He recorded a career-high 15 strikeouts against the Pirates on May 20.