Pirates top Phillies 6-3

PHILADELPHIA -- Andrew McCutchen hit the first inside-the-park home run of his career and the Pittsburgh Pirates protected their lead in the NL wild-card race, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 Wednesday night.

The Pirates began the day with a 1 1-2-game lead over Atlanta and Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot. Pittsburgh has won six of seven.

Pittsburgh trailed 3-2 in the fifth inning when McCutchen hit a ball off the wall in straightaway center field. The ball ricocheted toward the alley in right-center, and away from center fielder Ben Revere.

McCutchen took off, and the reigning NL MVP scored standing up to tie it. Russell Martin hit a solo homer into the center-field seats later in the inning.

Vance Worley (7-4), traded by the Phillies after the 2012 season, won in his return to Philadelphia. Four relievers combined for four hitless innings, and Mark Melancon got his 28th save.

Jerome Williams (3-1) contributed a two-run single. That hit in the fourth inning was the last for the Phillies in the game.

Josh Harrison and Starling Marte added RBI singles in the sixth for the Pirates. Martin had a two-run single in the first.

Cody Asche doubled and scored twice for the Phillies.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Pirates: 3B Pedro Alvarez has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left foot, and the typical recovery time is four to six weeks. He has played in only one game since Aug. 26, when he first sustained the injury.

Phillies: LF Domonic Brown exited in the sixth inning with a bruised left shoulder. ... LHP Cliff Lee had his left elbow examined by three physicians, including the team doctor, in recent weeks. He will remain on his present rehab plan and will not throw until November, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. ... SS Jimmy Rollins, who strained his left hamstring on Monday, has "no timeline" for a return, Amaro said.

UP NEXT

Pirates: LHP Francisco Liriano (4-10, 3.74) takes the mound for the rubber game of the series. He earned a win Sept. 6, his first in his last seven starts.

Phillies: RHP A.J. Burnett (8-15, 4.29) gets the ball Thursday night. He has gone at least six innings in each of his last six starts, a streak that dates to Aug. 8.

GOING STREAKING

Marte extended his hitting streak to 10 games, during which he's batting 16-for-40. He also doubled in the eighth.