PITTSBURGH(AP) -- Charlie Morton helped the Pittsburgh Pirates get
an all-too-rare win in the closing days of another lost season.

Morton allowed one run in seven innings, helping the Pittsburgh
Pirates win for only the third time in their past 20 games, 5-1
over the San Diego Padres Friday night.

Morton (4-8) had lost six of his past seven decisions and had a
7.13 ERA since the beginning of August but shook off a rough
first inning Friday to allow only six hits and a walk.

"I think he's gaining confidence a little bit, starting to feel
a little more comfortable in what he's doing," Pirates manager
John Russell said. "He's young and we've got to continue to
build off this. He has made very good strides. If we can get him
a little more consistent game in and game out and maintain that,
he's going to be good. He has great stuff - if we can get him in
the zone like he was tonight."

Lastings Milledge went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Garrett Jones was
on base three times for last-place Pittsburgh (56-89), which
entered the game on a three-game losing streak and having lost
eight of nine.

Earlier this season, the Pirates assured themselves of a 17th
straight losing season.

Jesse Chavez and Matt Capps each pitched a scoreless inning to
wrap up the Pirates' first victory by more than one run since a
6-4 win against the Philadelphia Phillies Aug. 25.

Everth Cabrera went 3 for 4 and scored a run for the Padres, who
have lost three of four after a stretch in which they went 9-3.

"We just couldn't get hits tonight when we had opportunities
with guys on base, and their guy got better as the game went
on," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "We just couldn't get
anything going."

Morton, acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the Nate McLouth
trade June 3, did not allow a hit with a runner on base during
the game. He has allowed three runs or less in five of his past
seven outings.

"I found my curveball was working, even early in counts, and to
be able to get ahead with the curveball is huge for me," Morton
said. "I haven't been able to do it all year consistently, and
it's good when you have two pitches you can go to early in
counts. Tonight I was more fastball-curveball, which is how I
like to be and then have that changeup in my pocket."

After the Padres took a 1-0 lead against Morton in the top of
the first on Adrian Gonzalez's sacrifice fly, Pittsburgh scored
three times in the bottom of the inning on only two hits.

Tim Stauffer (4-7) allowed triples by Andrew McCutchen and
Brandon Moss along with four walks. Moss drove in two runs with
his hit, and Milledge added a sacrifice line-out to
right-center.

"I really didn't have anything out there today," Stauffer said.
"I tried to make some pitches and wasn't able to make the big
pitch when I needed to. I fell behind, and I just wasn't real
consistent with anything tonight."

Neither team scored again until the seventh, when Ryan Doumit's
single drove in McCutchen. McCutchen added a sacrifice fly in
the eighth to make it 5-1.

The Padres won each of Stauffer's previous four outings. After
allowing only one run in six-plus innings during each of the
past three games, Stauffer gave up three runs on four hits and
four walks in three innings.

NOTES: The Pirates hit two triples for an inning for only the
second time this season and did so during the first inning for
the first time since Aug. 11, 2005 at Colorado. ... Stauffer
threw 40 pitches in the first inning. ... Pittsburgh 2B Delwyn
Young missed his second consecutive game due to lower back
spasms and 3B Andy LaRoche was a late scratch because of
illness. ... The game was the beginning of the final homestand
of the season for the Pirates and the final roadtrip of the
season for the Padres.