ST. Bryan Shaw Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Pedro Alvarezs first homer in almost three weeks helped the Pittsburgh Pirates improve to .500 for just the second time in more than two months. The slumping 2013 co-NL home run champion backed Edinson Volquezs pitching with a three-run shot, keying an 8-1 victory over the sputtering Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. "It always helps, obviously, when I can contribute to a team victory," said Alvarez, whos hitting .232 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs. "Ive always said sometimes results arent indicative of how you may feel at the plate, and I feel like Im a good place," the slugger added. "Im just going to continue to work." Andrew McCutchen went 3 for 5, drove in two runs and stole two bases for the Pirates in a homecoming of sorts for last years NL MVP, who grew up in nearby Fort Meade and had never played before at Tropicana Field. He also scored twice in Pittsburghs first appearance in St. Petersburg since 2003. Alvarez, who hadnt homered since June 3, went deep off Alex Cobb (2-6) during a four-run fourth inning that also featured the first of McCutchens two RBI singles. The first-pitch, 419-foot drive over the wall in centre field snapped a season-high 16-game stretch without a homer -- Alvarezs longest since a 22-game drought that began in September 2012 and extended into last season. "A lot of times people have been taking their chances with Pedro, and hes an important part of our offence," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We need him to fire, we need him to drive in runs and that was very good to see. Three-run homers always play well." Volquez (5-6) allowed five hits in a season-high eight innings. James Loney drove in Tampa Bays only run with a two-out, first-inning single, and the Pirates supported their starting pitcher by turning three double plays. "I got a lot of help," Volquez said. The Pirates climbed to .500 (38-38) for just the second time since April 17, when they were 8-8. They have won four of five following a three-game skid and are a NL-best 26-18 since May 6. Tampa Bay has dropped 19 of its past 27 and is saddled with the worst record in the major leagues at 31-47. "I feel like with every loss its an opportunity missed," Cobb said, adding if the Rays are going to turn their season around theyve got to get on a roll soon. McCutchen, who is batting .366 in June, boosted his average in 11 interleague games to .425 with nine walks, four doubles and seven RBIs. His run-scoring single off Cobb moved him ahead of Brian Giles for the Pirates career record for RBIs in interleague action with 52. He added another in the ninth off Kirby Yates. Alvarez, meanwhile, is hitting .317 with two home runs and eight RBIs against AL teams this season. Cobb, making his seventh start since spending five weeks on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, allowed six runs and six hits in five innings. Volquez won for the third time in his last five starts. The right-hander walked two, struck out one and didnt allow a hit after the fourth inning. Three of Tampa Bays six hits were infield singles, including Kevin Kiermaiers second-inning bunt. Jeanmar Gomez pitched the ninth for the Pirates, yielding a two-out single to Loney. NOTES: Pirates OF Starling Marte was back in the lineup after missing two games tending to a personal matter at home in the Dominican Republic. ... Pittsburgh RHP Gerrit Cole (right shoulder fatigue) threw 83 pitches over six innings in a simulated game and could rejoin the rotation this weekend. ... Pirates 2B Neil Walker (appendectomy) is expected to be reinstated from the DL Tuesday. ... The Rays havent announced if RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) will need one more minor league start before returning. .. Tampa Bay 1B-OF Jerry Sands has a wrist injury, which Rays manager Joe Maddon said could require surgery. Charlie Blackmon Jersey . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. Daniel Castro Jersey . -- Among the 31 players at the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp, none feels closer to cracking the NHL roster than right winger Aaron Palushaj. http://www.rockiesgearproshop.com/Customized/ . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The resurgent Tampa Bay Rays are on their best run in a decade. Ben Zobrist homered, Matt Joyce and Kevin Kiermaier each had an RBI single, and the Rays beat the skidding Boston Red Sox 3-0 Saturday night for their ninth consecutive victory. The stretch is the second-longest in team history, three short of a 12-game winning streak in June 2004. "Its really impressive," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Its a total team concept going on right now." John Lackey (11-7) came up short in his first attempt at his 150th win, giving up three runs and eight hits over seven innings. Before the game, the Red Sox traded right-hander Jake Peavy and cash to San Francisco for minor league pitchers Edwin Escobar and Heath Hembree. Boston, last in the AL East one season after winning the World Series, has lost five straight. "I have to say its been a disappointing week. A little surprising even," general manager Ben Cherington said. "Anything we do between now and Thursday afternoon will be with a mind toward building as quickly as possible towards April of 2015." The non-waiver trade deadline is Thursday. Zobrist made it 3-0 with his seventh-inning shot. Grant Balfour (1-3) went 1 2-3 innings for the win, and Jake McGee pitched the ninth for his 11th save. The Rays (51-53) have used a 27-11 stretch since June 11 to go from also-rans to wild-card contenders. "It was really nice to get a win, but at the end of the day its a team win," Balfour said. "Right now thats what were after. We went through a lot in the first two months, and were trying to erase all those losses and turn them into wins." Jeremy Hellickson, coming back from right elbow surgery and making his second start this season, gave up five hits over 4 2-3 innings. Jeff Beliveau replaced Hellickson with a runner on and retired David Ortiiz on a hard liner to first. Carlos Gonzalez Jersey. Desmond Jennings had a bunt single in the first inning and advanced to third on catcher Christian Vazquezs errant throw. Boston manager John Farrell argued with plate umpire Chad Fairchild about Jennings route to first, but the call stood. "We were told there was no deflection," Farrell said. "The ruling was he didnt interfere with the play." Jennings scored on Joyces single. Kiermaiers run-scoring single in the fourth came right after Yunel Escobar was almost picked off second base, a close play Farrell decided not to challenge. "A challenge would have been nice there," Lackey said. "He looked like he was pretty out. They still might not overturn it, but you never know. Weve had it go both ways this year, but what are you going to do?" Ortiz was given a double in the first after a fan caught his drive near the yellow home run line at the top of the right-field fence. The call stood after a boundary area video review. Ortiz was left stranded when Mike Napoli struck out. Brock Holt was thrown out trying to score from second to complete an inning-ending double play in the third after Ortiz was retired on a grounder into shallow right field. The Red Sox also failed to score after putting runners on first and third with none out in the sixth. Balfour got the final two outs of the inning. "Consistency, thats been elusive," Farrell said. "The ability to string some base hits together has been elusive." Boston went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base in getting shut out for the 11th time this season. NOTES: RHP Allen Webster will come up from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace Peavy as Sundays starter. The Rays starter is RHP Chris Archer. ... Tampa Bay reliever Joel Peralta (illness) threw a scoreless inning for Class-A Charlotte and could return Monday. 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