Scherzer returns with heavy heart as Tigers lose second straight

PITTSBURGH -- Brad Lincoln allowed two hits and a run in six innings, Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates won for the sixth time in seven games with a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Lincoln (4-2) carried a no-hitter through five innings before Ramon Santiago singled to lead off the sixth.

Detroit's Miguel Cabrera homered to lead off the seventh and end Lincoln's afternoon. Lincoln had a career-high seven strikeouts and one walk.

McCutchen continued a torrid pace with his 13th homer. He came into the game with 14 hits in his previous 25 at-bats.

Detroit starter Max Scherzer (6-5) rejoined the team Saturday after being away due to what the team characterized as personal reasons. He allowed three runs, three hits and had seven strikeouts.

The Tigers have lost three of four.

Mired in a major North American professional sports record streak of 19 consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates (38-32) moved a season-high six games over .500.

Pittsburgh has won eight of its past nine series, including four straight at home. The Pirates have won eight of their past nine games at PNC Park.

At one point over a span from the fourth inning into the seventh, Lincoln threw 21 consecutive strikes. Only 19 of his 79 pitches were balls.

Lincoln was 1-2 with a 7.64 ERA in his previous four starts this season, including allowing 13 earned runs in 11 2/3 innings over his previous three outings. This was his first at PNC Park, however. Cabrera's homer was the second run he had allowed in 15 1/3 innings at home this season.

Juan Cruz relieved Lincoln and allowed Prince Fielder's double, but lefty Tony Watson retired Alex Avila and Jhonny Peralta to end the seventh. McCutchen caught Peralta's fly to center at the wall.

Jason Grilli had two strikeouts in a perfect eighth. Joel Hanrahan struck out Avila to end the game after allowing a single and a walk after two outs in the ninth. Hanrahan has 19 saves in 21 chances.

Pittsburgh managed one hit through the first three innings against Scherzer (6-5), but the Pirates scored three in the fourth off a swing from McCutchen.

After Alex Presley led off the inning with a double and Jose Tabata was hit by a pitch, McCutchen pulled a 0-2 pitch into the seats in left-center. The homer extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Scherzer had won five of his previous six decisions, including striking out 15 Pirates batters in a 4-3 win May 20.

Cabrera snapped an 0-for-15 stretch with his 15th home run off a full-count pitch in the seventh. It was Detroit's second homer in its past six games.

Pittsburgh's Neil Walker made it 4-1 with a single that drove in Casey McGehee in the bottom of the seventh.

Game notes

The Tigers have had four hits in each of the two games so far in the series. ... The game attracted the second consecutive sellout to PNC Park, the sixth this season. ... The Pirates have not had a no-hitter since July 12, 1997, when Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon combined on a 10-inning no-hitter. The most recent solo Pittsburgh no-hitter came from John Candelaria on Aug. 9, 1976. ... The most recent time Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (7-4, 2.57) faced the Pirates, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in Detroit May 18. He will start the series finale Sunday.