PITTSBURGH -- There was no no-hitter hangover for Edinson Volquez on Thursday night. The Marlins right-hander followed up his 10-strikeout gem on Saturday with another scoreless outing against the Pirates, allowing just three hits over seven innings and leading Miami to a 7-1 win over Pittsburgh at PNC Park.
"I think I was better today," Volquez said, comparing Thursday's outing to his no-hitter. "I think I threw more strikes with my breaking ball than my last time. My fastball command was good after the first inning. I walked two guys. I was able to make good pitches when I needed it."
Volquez has allowed only one run in 22 innings over his past three starts. He throttled his former team's lineup in Thursday's series opener, striking out eight while throwing 111 pitches -- 13 more than he needed in his no-no against the D-backs. Josh Harrison dropped a bunt single in the first inning and slapped a double to right in the sixth, and Josh Bell's seventh-inning double was the Pirates' only other hit off Volquez.

"He had command of all his pitches," Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen said. "When he has command of his fastball, he can get ahead with his fastball. It sets him up for his offspeed, for his changeup, for his curveball. … He was able to locate his offspeed well. When he is able to do that, He's a tough AB. He's just tough to get on base, tough to get a hit against."
• Volquez says sore ankle improves delivery

Meanwhile, Pirates starter Gerrit Cole's struggles continued. The Marlins piled up seven runs on 11 hits in his 4 2/3 innings, giving Volquez plenty of breathing room. Third baseman Derek Dietrich led the charge, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Over his last four starts, Cole has allowed 23 runs on 39 hits in 19 1/3 innings, and his ERA has climbed from 2.84 to 4.83.

"Sometimes a lot of these dips that you go through in the season, it's about persisting through the process and trusting it," Cole said. "There's hard work to be done, which I'll do. I'll continue to do it. Things are still moving forward. Things are still looking up. Just got some stuff to take care of."
• Cole left searching for answers
Dietrich and Christian Yelich each had two doubles and Tyler Moore added two hits and two RBIs.

"The guys kind of hung in there," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "In that [fifth] inning, [Cole's] pitch count was getting up there pretty good. The guy, obviously, is not at full strength, third time through the order and stuff like that. I thought we did a nice job of just battling with him."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First things first: The Marlins finished with five doubles against Cole, two of them in the first inning. But the three-run inning began with speed, not power. Dee Gordon reached on a bunt single, stole second and reached third as catcher Elias Diaz's throw sailed into center field. Giancarlo Stanton walked, then Yelich opened the scoring with a 104.9 mph double to right field. With two on and two outs, Dietrich slammed another double to right, this one with an exit velocity of 110.8 mph, according to Statcast™.

Mattingly said the first inning was a turning point, because Miami got to Cole for three runs and Volquez worked out of a bases-loaded jam, striking out McCutchen.
"That first inning was huge," Mattingly said. "Two key things happened. Obviously, Dee gets us started. But Dietrich's hit there. He makes good pitches on [Marcell Ozuna] and J.T. [Realmuto] to have a chance to get out of that inning. Deet's double gets us two extra runs, which goes from being a positive inning for him to get out of that, to be a good inning for us. Then, we're able to get the big out on McCutchen with the bases loaded there in the first. It keeps the momentum on our side."

Singled out: Cole recorded two quick outs in the fifth and looked as if he might recover to pitch six innings, despite a rocky start. Then came the Marlins' two-out rally, five straight singles to score three runs and chase Cole from the game. Ozuna slapped a single to right field, then Realmuto, Dietrich, Moore and J.T. Riddle found grass in shallow left field to give Miami a seven-run lead.
"Those [pitches], if they're down in the zone, they're mishits. When they're up, they find outfield grass versus being on the ground," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Cole. "There were some signs of some good things, then the lack of consistent execution caught up to him."

QUOTABLE
"My grandfather, being in this organization a long, long time. It was an organization I remembered. I came to Pittsburgh and watched games at old Three Rivers Stadium. My great aunt, my grandmother, my mom and my dad, and my girlfriend were here. It was awesome to play in front of them and honor him in a way. It's special for me." -- Dietrich, who grew up in the Cleveland area, on having family at the game. Dietrich's grandfather, the late Steve Demeter, coached in the Pirates system.
"I faced him when he was with the Reds, when he was with the Royals, when he was with the Padres. I have faced him quite a few times, but I've been able to see him when he doesn't do so well, and then I've been able to see him when he is on. When he is on, he's hard to hit." -- McCutchen, on Volquez
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The last pitcher to throw at least seven scoreless innings following a no-hitter was Jacob Arrieta in 2015. Arrieta tossed eight scoreless innings against the D-backs on Sept. 5, 2015, following his no-hitter against the Dodgers on Aug. 30.
WHAT'S NEXT
Marlins:Vance Worley (0-2, 6.59 ERA) is getting another start as Justin Nicolino (on the DL with a bruised left index finger) works himself back. Former Pirate Worley goes for Miami on Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park.
Pirates: Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (2-5, 6.97 ERA) will start for the Pirates as they continue a four-game series with the Marlins. Glasnow gave up four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five over five innings in a loss to the Mets on Saturday.
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