general manager Ted Thompson said the move was made with a

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have been making a lot of noise this season and are tempting their long-suffering fans again with the possibility of a winning season for the first time since rookie Gerrit Cole was still in diapers. Francisco Liriano took a shutout into the seventh inning, and Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Gaby Sanchez homered, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night. "It was awesome just to be able to do that, and we had a lot of fun doing it," said McCutchen, who ended a homerless drought of 98 at-bats. "This is the way we should come out and play every day. We dont have to depend on just one or two guys. Everybodys coming through. To have a complete lineup like that from top to bottom is always fun." Liriano (6-3) allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, struck out six and walked three. The Angels run came in the seventh, when rookie J.B. Shuck hit a ground-rule double just inside the right field line and Mike Trout drove him in with a two-out single on the left-handers 104th and final pitch. Liriano has allowed fewer than three runs in seven of his nine starts after missing the first 35 games of the season because of broken bone in his non-throwing arm. The victory put the Bucs a season-best 15 games over .500 (45-30). After 75 games last season they were 40-35, but finished with a losing record for an unprecedented 20th straight year. Jerome Williams (5-3) gave up five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits over six innings in his eighth start of the season and first since June 12. The right-hander took over the rotation slot vacated by lefty Jason Vargas, who was placed on the disabled list Friday because of a blood clot under his pitching arm. "He made really good pitches in the first inning, and he really made some really good pitches throughout the game," catcher Chris Iannetta said. "But in that three-run inning he gave up the home run to Alvarez, and that was just a good piece of hitting. All of his mistakes were up in the zone and they capitalized on them." Alvarez has homered in three consecutive games. The Bucs added two more that inning on an RBI single by No. 9 hitter Jordy Mercer and a bases-loaded walk to Russell Martin. One of the runs was unearned, the result of a fielding error by third baseman Alberto Callaspo on a slow-hit grounder by Marte that kept the inning alive. "Actually, if Williams threw the whole game the way he did in the first inning, it would have been complicated for us," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Hes pitched extremely well for them, and this was probably not normal for what theyve seen from him this season. There were mistakes he made tonight and we were able to do something with those mistakes. A lot of balls were elevated." Travis Snider extended the margin to 4-0 in the fourth with an RBI single after a leadoff double by Neil Walker. McCutchen added his eighth homer in the fifth, and Sanchez capped the scoring in the eighth against Michael Kohn with a homer off the left field pole, his sixth this season and second in his last 44 games. After striking out four of his first five batters, Liriano found himself in a jam with runners at the corners in the third inning before retiring Albert Pujols on a grounder to second base. The three-time NL MVP is 1 for 15 against Liriano. "His fastball was 92, 95, and had good movement," Iannetta said. "He had a really tight slider tonight and a very good changeup. That was his equalizing pitch, and we swung through it a lot." Howie Kendrick, hitting at a .381 clip over his previous 35 games, legged out a double to right-centre with one out in the Angels fourth and was thrown out at the plate as left fielder Starling Marte charged Erick Aybars sharp single and made a one-hop peg to Martin. "I knew he was out right when they sent him home, because I know he has a cannon," McCutchen said. "When that ball was coming to him and I saw (third base coach Dino Ebel) waving, I was like, Hes out. Hes not a typical left fielder because he has the arm of a right fielder. So when he threw that ball, I knew he was toast." NOTES: Shuck started in RF in place of Josh Hamilton, who missed his second straight game with a sore right wrist. Hamilton is batting just .207. ... Hurdle, whose only season as the Texas Rangers hitting coach coincided with Hamiltons 2010 AL MVP campaign, had a chance to reconnect with Angels slumping right fielder during this series. "It was an extremely good visit," Hurdle said. "I think theres a lot of challenges, and hes in a challenging place. I reminded him of the strengths and the skills he does have, and also that he cant do it alone. Theres some other pretty talented people in that clubhouse and on that ballfield." ... Hurdle played in 18 games at Angel Stadium with the Kansas City Royals when it was still known as Anaheim Stadium, and was 10 for 46 lifetime. ... Liriano is 2-4 with a 5.82 ERA in eight career starts against the Angels. Brad Peacock Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Jeff Bagwell Astros Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. http://www.baseballastrosproshop.com/mike-scott-astros-jersey/ . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Hector Rondon Astros Jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Carlos Lee Jersey . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers offensive line is stuck between a state of shock and the need to move forward.The surprising release of three-time Pro Bowl left guard Josh Sitton over the weekend has been tough on the close-knit unit.Hes going to be a tough presence to fill there, a tough void there, right guard T.J. Lang said on Monday.Coach Mike McCarthy announced the Packers are going to fill Sittons spot with Lane Taylor when the season begins on Sept. 11 at Jacksonville.The timing of Sittons release so close to the start of the regular season doesnt help either, Lang said.Weve got to get ready to play a game in six days, the veteran added. Weve got to move on quick, because Jacksonvilles right around the corner.A fourth-year pro, Taylor has started two games in his career. He is coming off a preseason finale against Kansas City in which he was penalized twice for holding and once for a false start, and appeared to be late in picking up a blitz that resulted in a sack.Ive put in a lot of hours, a lot of time, taken a lot of reps. Im going to look forward to the opportunity, Taylor said.Sitton, who signed with the NFC North-rival Chicago Bears on Sunday, was a second-team All-Pro last season and a durable starter who missed only two games over the previous seven seasons.I have all the confidence in the world in Lane, McCarthy said. Hes earned this opportunity.While McCarthy said that he likes what Taylor has done in run blocking, The pass protection and some of the things -- particularly how we do it and what we do -- is something he just needs some game experience at. Thats part of the leap when you make changes.Sitton, 30, was entering the last year of a five-year, $33.75 million extension signed afterr the 2011 season.dddddddddddd The contracts of three other offensive line starters -- left tackle David Bakhtiairi, center JC Tretter and right guard T.J. Lang -- are also due to expire after this season.In announcing Sittons release Saturday, general manager Ted Thompson said the move was made with a focus on what is best for the team and the growth of the offensive line.Sitton was known to play through injuries. He also caused a minor stir at midseason last year when, during a midweek football show for the Green Bay Press-Gazette newspaper, he said that the Packers offense had become too predictable. Teams know exactly what were going to do every week.Asked if the Packers were better with Taylor, McCarthy said, I dont think its fair to say that about anybody ... Every decision we make is in the best interest of improving all aspects of our program. This is not about one player. This about our football team.Lang thought the offensive line would be fine with Taylor, but Sitton had seen just about every look imaginable and could provide tips or wrinkles to combat those schemes.Thatll come in time with Lane, Lang said. But I have no doubt hes going to be a guy who can go out there and be the guy and do a good job of it.Game notes McCarthy said WR Jordy Nelson, who is coming back from a knee injury is a full go for practice this week and is expected to play against the Jaguars. ... The Packers have re-signed LS Brett Goode, who was the starting long snapper for most of the previous eight seasons before getting hurt in December.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '