DENVER (AP) - Erik Bedard pitched effectively into the seventh inning for his first win in more than a month, Andrew McCutchen homered, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 6-2 Tuesday night to become the fifth team with at least 50 victories.
The Pirates joined the New York Yankees (56), Texas Rangers (54), Washington Nationals (52) and Cincinnati Reds (51), whom they trail by one game in the NL Central.
Bedard (5-10) went 6 2-3 innings and allowed two runs - one earned - on five hits in snapping his second four-game losing streak of the season. He struck out four and walked four in his first win since beating Kansas City on June 8.
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Pittsburgh’s Erik Bedard works to the plate Tuesday night.
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Christian Friedrich (5-7) gave up five runs on six hits in 4 2-3 innings in losing for the sixth time in his last seven decisions.
REDS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0
CINCINNATI (AP) - Johnny Cueto showed no signs of being bothered by a finger blister during six shutout innings, and Ryan Ludwick hit a three-run homer that sent Cincinnati to its first victory without Joey Votto.
Votto had surgery earlier in the day to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, sidelining the former National League MVP for up to a month.
Cueto (11-5) threw 105 pitches, giving up four hits and four walks.
Arizona's Trevor Bauer (1-2) had the roughest time in his four starts so far. The 21-year-old lasted only three innings.
