Thursday afternoon was different for the Pittsburgh Pirates compared to the night prior. The Pirates did not collect 21 hits again, but they did produce timely hitting to take the sweep of the Detroit Tigers.

Francisco Liriano took the ball to start things off for the Pirates on the mound. Liriano put together another superb performance for the Pirates, pitching out of some jams and tossing seven shutout innings. Liriano scattered just five hits in those seven frames and lowering his ERA to 2.99 on the season.

Francisco Cervelli started off the scoring for the Pirates. In the top of the fourth, Cervelli blasted a solo shot to left center field which was his fourth homer of the season.

In the top of the fifth Andrew McCutchen, who was the designated hitter today, hit a sacrifice fly to score Sean Rodriguez and make it 2-0 Pirates. In the next inning the hot hitting Neil Walker, who batted .588 in the series, drove in Jung Ho Kang with a single to make it 3-0 Pirates. The Pirates scored again in the top of the seventh inning. Starling Marte singled in Jordy Mercer for his 48th RBI of the season and gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead.

However, the Tigers battled back and made it a game with a J.D. Martinez three-run homer off of reliever Antonio Bastardo in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 4-3.

The Pirates provided some insurance in the ninth inning and bust the game back open. Andrew McCutchen doubled in Jordy Mercer to make it 5-3. Later on in the inning, Francisco Cervelli was hit by Tigers relief pitcher Bruce Rondon to load the bases. Neil Walker then doubled home Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte to open the lead up to 7-3. Sean Rodriguez scored Francisco Cervelli on an RBI groundout to make it 8-3.

Vance Worley came on in the ninth and allowed a run and some base runners. That prompted Clint Hurdle to call on closer Mark Melancon to get the final out. Melancon eventually slammed the door shut on Victor Martinez and the Pirates took the sweep.

The Pirates pitching has carried them most of the season, but their offense stepped up in this series so it's not a surprise they swept considering how their offense performed. If they can be more consistent as a unit they have to be taken seriously as a World Series contender. This was a series that tapped into that potential. The Pirates lead the league with nine sweeps on the year.

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About the author
Brett Blizinski
Brett is a writer that has covered every major sport. He has also had an article featured on foxsports.com after the call-up of Gregory Polanco.