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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have won eight games in a row, and fans are starting to notice. Juuse Saros Jersey . After all, the Pirates own the best record in all of baseball. Pittsburgh beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Saturday night in front of its fifth straight sellout crowd at home. The Pirates have never had that many consecutive capacity crowds since moving into their new ballpark in 2001. Long the third-most popular team in a three-team town behind the NFLs Steelers and NHLs Penguins, the Pirates are suddenly becoming a hot ticket. "The energy of the crowds has been unbelievable and weve been soaking it all up," said Pirates closer Jason Grilli, who earned the save. "You absorb it and try to use it to your advantage. Were playing for ourselves but were also playing for about 40,000 people in the stands and an entire city. "People are dusting off their Pirates shirts and coming out in droves, and were trying to give them what they want to see." Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones homered, and Francisco Liriano pitched six strong innings to lead the surging Pirates. Alvarez hit his 20th home run with one out in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and help the Pirates to their longest winning streak since 2004. Pittsburgh, which has endured 20 consecutive losing seasons, is a major league-best 50-30. Jones hit a drive to the shrubbery in straightaway centre field, his seventh homer, to lead off the fourth inning and increase the Pirates lead to 2-0. That was enough for Liriano (7-3), who improved to 4-1 in five home starts this season. "Were having fun, were playing hard and were giving everything we have," Liriano said. Liriano gave up one run and seven hits in six innings with one walk and six strikeouts. Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Grilli each pitched one scoreless inning of relief. Grilli recorded his 27th save in 28 opportunities. "Frankie, for as efficient as he was in giving up one run, there were only about six or seven sequences where he threw back-to-back strikes," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "But when he needed to make a pitch, he made a pitch." Grilli was pitching for the first time in six days after having his worst outing of the season. He gave up three runs against the Los Angeles Angels in a non-save situation last Sunday before the Pirates held on for a 10-9 win. "Hes our guy," Hurdle said. "He was well-rested and I wasnt the least bit nervous about going to him." Donovan Hand (0-1) allowed both home runs but turned in a solid five-inning performance in his second major league start. Hand was pleased with his outing, except for the home run to Alvarez that cleared the right-field stands, hit a tree and bounced into the Allegheny River. "I tried to go up and in and left a fat pitch over the middle in his hot zone, and he crushed it," said Hand, who pitched 4 2-3 scoreless innings in his first start June 28 against Atlanta. "I was aggressive, which is exactly what I wanted to do, just building off of the last start because they swing it a lot." Hand has made a good impression on Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "I thought Donny threw the ball really well," Roenicke said. "He understands how to pitch. He understands how to throw strikes." Carlos Gomez had two hits for the Brewers, who lost their fifth straight game. He singled with one out in the sixth inning and scored Milwaukees run on Yuniesky Betancourts single with two outs. Brewers shortstop Jean Segura extended his hitting streak to 11 games, but second baseman Rickie Weeks run ended at a career-best 13 games. Pittsburgh has won four straight games against Milwaukee and eight of 10 after losing nine in a row. "Were playing good baseball," Hurdle said. "Its nice to get to 50 wins but were just trying to meet the demands of the game, honestly self-evaluate and get better every day. There is still a long way to go." NOTES: Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun (bruised left thumb) is scheduled to a swing a bat Tuesday for the first time since going on the disabled list, retroactive to June 10. ... Pittsburgh LHP Wandy Rodriguez (strained left forearm) wont make a scheduled rehab start Monday for Triple-A Indianapolis after experiencing discomfort in his forearm Friday during a bullpen session. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (strained right calf) is scheduled to pitch a simulated game Tuesday. That could be the last step before he is activated from the disabled list. ... Brewers RF Norichika Aoki didnt start for the first time since May 30 as Roenicke decided to rest him. Aoki pinch-hit in the ninth inning and flied out. ... The three-game series concludes Sunday with Milwaukee RHP Kyle Lohse (3-6, 3.69) facing Pittsburgh RHP Charlie Morton (1-1, 2.81). Ryan Johansen Predators Jersey . Smith, who raised eyebrows at the CFL combine in March with his ability on both sides of the ball, confirmed in a statement he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol prior to auditioning for league officials. Nashville Predators Jerseys . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. http://www.authenticpredatorspro.com/Matt-irwin-predators-jersey/ . The Grizzlies erased most of a 25-point deficit before Durant, the leagues scoring champion, got hot.VAL-DOR, Que. - Anthony Mantha scored once and set up four more as the Val-dOr Foreurs doubled up the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6-3 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Louick Marcotte had two goals and an assist for the Foreurs (30-16-2) while Pierre-Maxime Poudrier, Anthony Beauregard and Guillaume Gelinas each scored once. Francis Beauvillier had a goal and an assist for the Huskies (26-16-5) and Julien Nantel and Jack nevins scored the others. Antoine Bibeau made 31 saves for Val-dOr as Alexandre Belanger turned away 33-of-38 shots for Rouyn-Noranda. --- MOOSEHEADS 4 SAGUENEENS 1 HALIFAX — Chicoutimis Julio Billia stopped 49-of-52 shots, but it wasnt enough to stop the Mooseheads from earning their sixth win in a row. Andrew Ryan had two goals and an assist for Halifax (32-16-1), Matt Murphy and Philippe Gadoury each scored once and Jonathan Drouin tacked on three assists. Zachary Fucale made 20 saves for the Mooseheads. Nicolas Roy scored the lone goal for the Sagueneens (24-24-1). --- PHOENIX 4 ISLANDERS 1 SHERBROOKE, Que. — Maxime Lagace made 38 saves and Jean-Christophe Laflamme scored two short-handed goals in the third period as the Phoenix snapped a four-game slide. Mitchell Lundholm and Matej Beran also scored for Sherbrooke (15-27-6) and daniel Audeette chipped in with two assists. Ryan Ellis Jersey. Kameron Kielly responded for Charlottetown (17-26-5), which lost its fifth game in a row. Eric Brassard turned away 23-of-27 shots for the Islanders. --- TIGRES 3 ARMADA 2 (SO) BOISBRIAND, Que. — Cameron Yarwood scored the shootout winner as Victoriaville extended its win streak to six games by downing the Armada. Yan Pavel Laplante and Jean-Francois Plante scored in regulation for the Tigres (22-19-6) and Jonathan Diaby had two assists. Philippe Sanche and Ryan Tesink supplied the scoring for Blainville-Boisbriand (28-10-9), which has dropped three games in a row. Francois Tremblay made 36 saves for Victoriaville while Etienne Marcoux stopped 22-of-24 shots for the Armada. --- OCEANIC 4 CATARACTES 0 SHAWINIGAN, Que. — Olivier Tremblay made 28 saves for his first-career shutout as Rimouski blanked the Cataractes. Anthony DeLuca, Frederik Gauthier and Sebastien Sylvestre each had a goal and an assist for the Oceanic (28-13-7) and Michael Joly added a single goal. Gabriel Slight led all Shawinigan (11-29-7) skaters with six shots on net. Storm Phaneuf gave up three goals on four shots in only six minutes of action before getting pulled for Marvin Cupper, who stopped 27-of-28 shots in relief for the Cataractes. --- ' ' '