Virgil Vasquez earns first major league win as Pirates beat Royals 5-3

Pirates’ Vasquez gets first major league win

PITTSBURGH — Virgil Vasquez went six innings for his first major league win and the Pittsburgh Pirates got home runs from three unlikely power sources in a 5-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Vasquez (1-0), recalled by the Pirates after Thursday’s game to make his first start since Aug. 31, 2007, allowed two runs and four hits while striking out seven.

Nyjer Morgan, Jason Jaramillo and Jack Wilson homered for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight since snapping a five-game losing streak.

Mark Teahen hit his ninth homer and Miguel Olivo went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Royals, who have lost seven of nine.

Matt Capps converted his 11th consecutive save opportunity and 17th overall with a shaky ninth. After getting two quick outs, Capps allowed Teahen’s solo homer, then committed a fielding error and gave up a single to Olivo.

But pinch-hitter Mike Jacobs struck out looking with the tying runs aboard.

Morgan, Jaramillo and Wilson had combined for five home runs in 579 at-bats this season heading into Friday’s game for a punchless offense that ranked 26th in the majors in homers.

Morgan’s homer was his second in nine games after going 145 games in his career with only one. It came off Royals starter Gil Meche with Andrew McCutchen aboard and one out in the third.

The next inning Jaramillo hit his third home run into the same section in right field.

Wilson added a solo shot to left in the sixth, his third of the season and second in seven games.

Pittsburgh’s speed contributed to taking a 4-2 lead in the fifth. McCutchen led off with a walk and stole second. Morgan then reached on a bunt single, with McCutchen going to third. Freddy Sanchez followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center.

Meche (4-7) was charged with four runs, five hits and three walks strikeouts in five innings.

Alberto Callaspo and Olivo had consecutive RBI doubles in the second for the Royals.

NOTES: Despite scoring two runs, McCutchen’s hitting streak ended at 13 games — the longest by a rookie this season. McCutchen had hit safely in all but two of his previous 20 games in the majors. … Pittsburgh has won eight of 10 and nine of 12 at home. … Vasquez was 0-1 in five games, three starts, with Detroit in 2007.