PITTSBURGH -- General manager Neal Huntington made the stakes of this week perfectly clear on Sunday: The Pirates can't afford to be average or worse, as they have been the past seven weeks. With eight games to go before the All-Star break, the Bucs must prove they are a team worth keeping together.
The Pirates passed their first test on Monday night behind the success of a new-look top of the order. Corey Dickerson had two hits and scored twice in his first start as Pittsburgh's leadoff hitter, Starling Marte got on base twice and Gregory Polanco drove in four runs during the Bucs' 6-3 win over the Nationals at PNC Park.