PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates got a solid outing from lefty Tom Gorzelanny and notched a 5-2 victory over the Braves on Saturday night at PNC Park.

A crowd of 28,141 watched the Pirates win their season-high fifth game in a row.

"We've been playing good baseball," Pirates manager John Russell said. "I think you have to attribute it to our starting pitching. They have been throwing the ball very well, and Gorzelanny did a great job tonight."

Gorzelanny, who missed his previous start due to tightness in his lower back, tossed 7 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He recorded four strikeouts in improving his record to 3-3.

"Gorzelanny threw the ball very well," Russell stated. "He attacked hitters even after he gave up the two-run homer in the first, and he had some crispness to his pitches. That's what we've been looking for, and we've seen signs of it and he did well. I think the back issue is hopefully behind us now, but I thought he did a great job."

Gorzelanny was pleased with his effort.

"I wanted to get the back healthy again and I felt comfortable out there," he said. "I got to work on some stuff in between starts, which was definitely beneficial."

Braves left-hander Chuck James absorbed the loss, falling to 2-2. He gave up five runs on five hits in six innings.

Gorzelanny gave up a double to Omar Infante to lead off the game, then the Bucs lefty battled and got two fielder's choices. He was close to getting out of the first inning unscathed, but Mark Teixeira smacked an 0-1 offering into the left-center-field stands -- a two-run shot that put the Braves on top, 2-0. It was Teixeira's fifth home run of the season.

"I think in that first inning, I was a little overamped," Gorzelanny offered. "I was trying to get back in it and prove to myself that I was feeling good, and I did. After that, I just told myself to settle down and pitch. It was good to do that and I got adjusted. I told myself to keep the ball down and let them hit it on the ground, don't let them hit it in the air."

Pittsburgh sliced Atlanta's lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second. Jason Bay stroked a leadoff double to left and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Ronny Paulino.

Bay put the Bucs ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth. After a single by Jason Michaels, Bay took James deep to right-center field for his seventh home run.

"I hit a fastball that kind of got up a little bit," Bay said. "[James] did a good job keeping the ball down, and I had two strikes and I was trying to see it deep. He was throwing that changeup a lot, too. He got it up, and for me, those are the times where you're not trying to hit the home run. You're seeing the ball and you can do that rather than trying to hump up and do it. It's the easiest thing in baseball to say and the toughest thing to do."

Paulino delivered a two-run double to right-center field, increasing the Pirates' lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth.

"The pitch was a changeup," Paulino said. "I was just trying to stay to the middle and look for a fastball, but he hung it."

The Pirates' bullpen continued its outstanding work. Franquelis Osoria came on in the seventh inning and induced an inning-ending double-play ball. Pittsburgh turned four double plays in the game.

Closer Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth inning and picked up his ninth save of the season.

Gorzelanny certainly appreciated the defensive effort.

"Obviously double plays are a pitcher's best friend," said Gorzelanny, who started one of the double plays when he snagged a liner in the third. "It was great defense behind me, and it's good that it worked out that way."