Andrew McCutchen and Lyle Overbay each had three hits and Brandon Wood homered for Pittsburgh (28-29), which has won four of five and could complete a sweep of first-place Philadelphia on Sunday to reach .500.
Morton was 2-12 with a 7.57 ERA last season as the Pirates lost 105 games. But he has won four of his past five decisions to improve to 6-2. His ERA stands at 2.52 - fourth in the NL - after allowing a total of six earned runs over his past five starts.
Morton was charged with two runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts Saturday, his trademark sinker inducing 11 groundball outs to only two outfield putouts.
Placido Polanco hit a two-out single with the bases loaded in the ninth, but Chase Utley flied out to end the game.
The Pirates, 15th in the NL in home attendance, drew the largest crowd in 11-year-old PNC Park's history, 39,441, helped by plenty of Philly fans.
Jimmy Rollins fouled a ball off his right knee during the game's first at bat and was taken out of the game by the bottom of the third with a bruised right knee.
With Joe Blanton on the disabled list and Vance Worley in the minors, Kendrick (3-4) made his third start of the season for Philadelphia and first since May 19.
He was charged with four runs on eight hits with no walks or strikeouts in five innings.
Notes: Morton entered the game leading the majors with a 1.91 groundball-to-flyball out ratio. ... Philadelphia has scored seven runs during its four-game losing streak. ... The Pirates have won six of seven at home against the Phillies and are 22-12 against them at PNC Park.
