One thing that the Pittsburgh Pirates have proven this year is that they can win at a high rate when playing at home. The Pirates would look to continue that trend on Thursday night at PNC Park against the San Francisco Giants. The Pirates were coming off of a series win against the Arizona Diamondbacks that started Monday. The Giants came in from St. Louis, where they dropped two out of three games to the Cardinals.

The Pirates sent right-handed starter Charlie Morton (W, 8-4, 4.06 ERA) to the mound on Thursday night. Charlie Morton loves pitching at PNC Park, or at least his numbers suggest that he does. On the road, Morton is 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA in eight starts. However, at home Morton is 4-1 in seven games started with a 3.25 ERA. Morton went 6.2 innings on Thursday, giving up no earned runs and striking out eight in the process. Morton also managed to scatter just four hits in those 6.2 innings of work.

The Pirates quickly gained a 1-0 advantage, striking in the first inning against Giants starter Jake Peavy (L, 3-6, 4.35 ERA). Aramis Ramirez drove in Starling Marte on a ground-rule double down the right field line. It was Ramirez's 24th double of 2015.

The Pirates would strike again against Peavy in the third inning. Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang delivered his 20th double of the season to drive in Starling Marte and put the Pirates up 2-0. It would remain 2-0 until the sixth inning, which would provide the Pirates another opportunity to put some runs on the board. They did just that when Neil Walker hit his 13th homer of the season with Jung Ho Kang on base to put the Pirates up 4-0.

The Pirates offense is starting to step up on a more consistent basis, something that they had not been accustomed to in the early portion of this 2015 season. However, they have improved at a rapid pace and are able to go out night in and night out and put up runs. This is not the same team that would provide such little run support that their starter could give up two runs or less and still get the loss. A.J. Burnett seemed to be plagued by that happening a lot early on.

The Pirates would call upon Jared Hughes to close out the seventh inning and he was able to with flying colors. Hughes would also pitch a scoreless eighth inning to pave the way for Tony Watson in the ninth. Watson would pitch a scoreless ninth inning and cap off the night for the Pirates.

ANALYSIS: Charlie Morton was solid yet again at home for the Pirates. Neil Walker broke out of a small funk and was able to provide two runs on his homer and ended the night going 2-for-4. Walker's 13 homers is the most of any second basemen in the National League. Jung Ho Kang also added a 2-for-4 night and drove in a run himself. The Pirates received a lot of contributions from several players on offense on Thursday night, and that was key to help Morton pitch with the lead and pitch with confidence. The Pirates bullpen was solid yet again, as they continue to shut down the opposition late in the game better than anyone in the league.

BIG PICTURE: The Pirates were able to help their case in the standings as they approach the playoffs. The Pirates are now eight up on the San Francisco Giants, and hold the first Wild Card spot in the National League. With the St. Louis Cardinals off on Thursday, the Pirates were able to gain a half game on them in the standings as well. The Pirates sit at 4.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.  St. Louis heads to San Diego this weekend to take on the Padres, who are just 59-62 this season.