Marlins blanked on 3 hits; ‘pen falters behind Nicolino

MIAMI — Returning to the site of his first big league home run, Gregory Polanco on Monday connected on his first grand slam, a no-doubt blast that powered left-hander Jeff Locke and the Pirates to a 10-0 win over Miami at Marlins Park.

Backed by plenty of support, Locke made his own imprint by tossing Pittsburgh’s first complete game and shutout since Vance Worley on July 28, 2014, at San Francisco. Locke scattered three hits and struck out one on his 105-pitch night.

• Locke’s first shutout shows progression

“Unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of,” Locke said. “Actually, I’ve never been a part of it, so it was pretty special. A hundred and one [career] starts into this thing, finally get to throw a complete game. Very special.”

Locke was one batter away from becoming the first Pirates starter to face the minimum in a shutout since John Candelaria on July 25, 1982. The attempt ended when pinch-hitter Jeff Mathis delivered a two-out single in the ninth.

The Pirates broke it open in the sixth when Miami manager Don Mattingly replaced Justin Nicolino after a leadoff single, and reliever Jose Urena allowed four runs, including the grand slam to Polanco.

“I really did think it was the best [Nicolino] has thrown the ball in a while,” Mattingly said. “Again, I just made the decision there to go right-handed back through the top of their order. It was that third time through that we were trying to get a little magic shot down there and steal one.”

In defeat, Marcell Ozuna’s 11-game hitting streak was snapped, as was his string of reaching safely in 36 straight games.

Sean Rodriguez provided some extra cushion with a two-run homer in the ninth off Edwin Jackson. David Freese had four hits, with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.

“The offense was really good, obviously. That enables the skipper to want to send me back out, too,” Locke said. “They made plays behind me. They had good at-bats. They put runs up on the board. It was one of those nights where it all fell together.”

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDHot Coffee: Polanco’s breakout year continued as he crossed another career first off the list, lining a grand slam to right-center field in the sixth inning. Polanco’s bases-clearing blast gave the Bucs a 7-0 lead and served as further evidence of his emergence into a star hitter. “El Coffee” has hit safely in six of his …

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