Pirates’ Ritchie, Ramirez Ground Indians

The Cleveland Indians chose a bad time to pick on the National League’s worst team.

Aramis Ramirez grounded a game-winning double Sunday off the glove of shortstop Omar Vizquel in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated Cleveland, 1-0, behind Todd Ritchie’s four-hitter to complete a surprising three-game sweep.

Ritchie (2-8) pitched out of trouble four times in the final five innings for his first shutout since June 27 last season against the Chicago Cubs.

The Pirates became the last team in the majors to win three in a row this season. The Pirates began the series with the majors’ worst record and still have the NL’s worst record at 23-43. They had tried seven times before to win three in a row.

“I told Mac [Manager Lloyd McClendon] yesterday, ‘You just watch and see, we’re going to win three in a row and sweep the Indians, one of the best teams in baseball,’ ” said Brian Giles, who scored the only run.

“It shows what happens when you get good defense and good pitching.”

And an occasional hit too. The Pirates had only one hit going into the ninth.

Reliever Steve Karsay (0-1), who replaced rookie C.C. Sabathia after he limited the Pirates to one hit over seven innings, got the first two batters in the ninth, but Giles grounded a single into center field. Giles also had the only hit against Sabathia.

Ramirez’s grounder got past Vizquel and into the thick outfield grass at PNC Park for the Pirates’ third hit and Giles slid under catcher Einar Diaz’s tag.

“We shouldn’t be pressing against these guys,” Vizquel said. “It’s not like we’re playing the Braves or the Yankees. We’re playing losing-record teams. We should be relaxed.”

The Indians have lost seven of nine games, all against NL Central teams, in their worst stretch of the season. They have been held to 19 runs in the losses, seven in the three games in Pittsburgh.

Despite being swept, the Indians stayed a half-game behind Minnesota in the AL Central.

Ritchie pitched his second complete game of the season, striking out two and walking five. He is trying to bounce back from the first 0-8 start by a starting pitcher in Pirate history.

“I’ve had my share of bad ones, and it’s about time I had one of these,” Ritchie said.