Snell strikes out 10, Nady homers again in Pirates rout of Marlins

MIAMI (AP) -- Ian Snell got it done on the mound and the Pittsburgh Pirates' offense took it from there.

Snell struck out 10 in six innings and Xavier Nady homered to help the Pirates beat the Florida Marlins 9-2 on Sunday.

Nate McLouth had three hits, scored three runs and drove in two for Pittsburgh, which finished with 15 hits. Chris Gomez went 3-for-4.

"Snell's performance set the tone, he was sharp today," McLouth said. "When you hold a team to one earned run in six innings you're giving your offense a pretty good shot to win the game. I'm just seeing some good pitches and going through a stretch where I'm not missing them."

The Pirates rested Jason Bay and Adam LaRoche, and placed Jack Wilson went on the 15-day disabled list with a calf injury.

"For us to be successful, everyone has to contribute," Pirates manager John Russell said. "That includes the guys on the bench as well as the starters."

Nady's two-run homer off Taylor Tankersley highlighted a four-run eighth.

"It was nice to get a couple more runs," Nady said. "We had a good inning and it kind of takes the pressure off the guys coming in. We believe in each other and we're capable of putting runs up. We didn't even have our three, four and five guys in the lineup but still guys contributed."

Marlins starter Rick VandenHurk (0-1) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits. He struck out four, walked two and hit Nyjer Morgan with a pitch.

"Definitely not how I wanted it to go," said VandenHurk, who was optioned to Double-A Carolina after the game. "I felt good out there, I just didn't do what I needed to do. I didn't keep my team in there."

The Pirates chased VandenHurk when they sent nine batters to the plate during a four-run third inning. McLouth had an RBI double and Ryan Doumit singled in Luis Rivas to make it 2-0. VandenHurk left the game after issuing a bases-loaded walk with one out.

"If your starters don't go deep then you put guys into a situation where they're not going to be successful," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He just couldn't get out of that inning. It snowballed on him."

Doumit scored on a sacrifice fly by Gomez off Ricky Nolasco.

Snell (1-0) allowed four hits and two runs, one earned. He did not walk a batter and left after throwing 100 pitches.

"We lost the last two games so I knew I had to come in and perform today to help my team," Snell said. "I threw a lot of curveballs today. We're a lot better than last year, more disciplined at the plate. The [hitters] did their thing. It was a team effort."

Alfredo Amezaga had an RBI single for Florida, and Hanley Ramirez scored on a sixth-inning error by shortstop Rivas.

Amezaga also made a great catch in center field in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Freddy Sanchez hit a bases-loaded drive to deep left-center that Amezaga caught on a full run. He crashed into the wall but managed to hold onto the ball.

"I was running as soon as he hit it and when I looked the ball was right there," Amezaga said. "I was worried about the ball, not the wall. The key thing is that we lost the game so I'm not very happy about it."

Game notes
The Marlins are expected to make a roster move Monday to replace VandenHurk. ... Brian Bixler was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Wilson's place on the roster. Bixler pinch-hit in the ninth inning and struck out. ... Wes Helms, acquired by the Marlins from the Phillies on Saturday, pinch-hit in the seventh and struck out.