MLB: Pittsburgh 5, Kansas City 3

PITTSBURGH, June 26 (UPI) -- Virgil Vasquez, making his first major league appearance in two years, struck out seven over six innings Friday in helping Pittsburgh down Kansas City 5-3.

Nyjer Morgan, Jason Jaramillo and Jack Wilson all homered to bring the Pirates back from an early two-run deficit. Pittsburgh won its third straight on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

Vasquez (1-0) was called up from Class AAA Indianapolis to make the start, replacing an ailing Charlie Morton in the Pittsburgh rotation. It was his first major league win and it came in his first game in the majors since he appeared five times, including three starts, with Detroit in 2007.

Vasquez allowed two runs on four hits.

Morgan lifted the Pirates into a tie with a two-run homer in the third, Jaramillo's solo shot in the fourth gave Pittsburgh the lead and Wilson's solo homer in the sixth made it a 5-2 contest.

Kansas City dropped its second straight and has lost seven of nine.

Gil Meche (4-7) took the loss, surrendering four runs on five hits in five innings.