Pirates Snap Marlins' Win Streak

After three outstanding starts, even fan interference couldn't prevent Todd Ritchie from notching his first win of the season in Pittsburgh's 5-1 victory over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.

Ritchie (1-0) pitched seven strong innings and Kevin Young hit a two-run double that was caught by a fan reaching over the railing to help the Pirates snap the Marlins' three-game winning streak.

"Good pitching slows down hot clubs," Pirates manager Gene Lamont said. "He struggled early and through the first five innings worked his way out of some jams, But he's carrying on right from last year."

Ritchie, 15-9 last season, had no-decisions in his first two starts despite allowing just three runs in 13 innings. He gave up one run on eight hits, struck out four and walked one.

The Pirates loaded the bases with no outs in the third against Alex Fernandez (2-2) on consecutive singles by Chad Hermansen and Ritchie and a walk to Jason Kendall.

Following a popout, Brian Giles' groundout scored Hermansen. With runners on first and third, Young followed with a drive to the fence in right-center field, where a fan reached down to catch it.

Second base umpire Rich Rieker ruled it a double and allowed Gileto score from first, giving the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Young had been 3-for-30 against right-handers.

"I didn't see it," said Young, who is still not all the way back from knee surgery. "My brain locked up and I thought it was a ground-rule double and with first and third only one run would score. ... They made the right call."

After stranding three runners in scoring position through the first three innings, the Marlins scored a run on Mike Redmond's two-out single in the fourth.

"We swung the bat pretty well through the fifth and then they shut us down," said Marlins manager John Boles. "We can't do it every time."

Jason Christensen and Mike Williams each pitched a hitless inning in relief to wrap up the victory.

"Ritchie pitched great and those two relievers pitched well," Boles said. "That guy is tough and made pitches when he had to."

Pat Meares hit an RBI single in the Pittsburgh seventh and had a run-scoring grounder in the ninth.

Fernandez pitched 6 1-3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits.

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