PITTSBURGH -- The Arizona Diamondbacks have a lot of ground to make up if they are going to get to the post-season. Martin Prado hopes that Saturdays 20-hit outburst was a step in the right direction. Prado went 4 for 5 with a three-run home run and Paul Goldschmidt added a three-run shot and the Diamondbacks routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 15-5 on Saturday. The Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in five games. They entered the day 8 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and six games behind the Cincinnati Reds for the second wild card. "I feel like this is the beginning of what we should do from now on," Prado said. "I feel like everybody contributed. Were hoping to keep having this offence all the way through the end of the season. "Being realistic, its not going to be like this every day, but I liked the way we prepared for the game then everybody had good at-bats." Prados 11th homer of the season capped a six-run third inning against All-Star Jeff Locke and put the Diamondbacks ahead 8-0. Prado has driven in 13 runs in his past 10 games. "Its just the way baseball goes," Prado said of his RBI surge. "Im on a hot streak right now. You might go a month and not get an RBI. I just want to ride the streak as long as I can." Goldschmidts 30th homer came in the ninth and tied him with Pittsburghs Pedro Alvarez for the National League lead. Alvarez hit his 30th earlier in the game. Goldschmidt and Didi Gregorius each had three of the Diamondbacks 20 hits. Gregorius, a rookie shortstop, had gone 2 for 29 in his previous eight games. "A lot of times you can tell how a guy is going to do in the game by his batting practice," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "Didi didnt really have a set pre-game routine until today. Hes finally found a routine that works and you saw the results. I think its going to make a big difference for him." Trevor Cahill (4-10) earned his first win since May 17. He went five innings and allowed four runs and seven hits. He was activated from the disabled list before the game. He had been out since July 1 with a bruised right hip. A.J. Pollock, Aaron Hill, Wil Nieves and Gerardo Parra had two hits each and Nieves had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the first inning to give Arizona an early lead. After going 0-6 with a 7.91 ERA in his previous eight starts, Cahill struck out four and walked one. "It felt like my debut all over again," Cahill said. "It was a weird feeling, like I hadnt done this before. Ill take the win, enjoy the great offensive support and then work on some things so Im better in my next start." Alvarez hit a three-run home run and Starling Marte added a solo shot for NL Central-leading Pittsburgh in the third inning, enabling the Pirates to cut the lead to 8-4. Andrew McCutchen had three hits and Neil Walker and Jose Tabata had two each. McCutchen has had multiple hits in 10 of his past 14 games. Locke (9-4) allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out two. He is winless in his past four starts and gave up more than three runs for just the second time in his past 18 starts. "Today was a reality check for me, absolutely," Locke said. "Any start like that is a reality check. You set your standards high, you set your goals high and youre disappointed when you dont reach them. I wasnt sitting there pouting about it, though, when I came out of the game. Its just the nature of the game to occasionally have a day like this." Prados home run with two outs in the third put Arizona ahead by eight and Locke was removed after Goldschmidt followed with a single. Goldschmidts hit was the seventh in a row by the Diamondbacks in the inning, tying a club record. Gregorius doubled in the first run of the third and Cahill, who was hitting .063, followed with a two-run single. The Pirates, who have dropped six of eight, cut the deficit to 8-5 in the sixth when Russell Martin doubled and scored on Tabatas single. However, Joe Thatcher came on and struck out Walker with the bases loaded to end the threat. Thatcher has inherited four bases-loaded situations this season and has not allowed a run. Arizona added four runs in the eighth inning on pinch-hitter Jason Kubels two-run single, Nieves sacrifice fly and Gregorius RBI single. Goldschmidts homer in the ninth gave the Diamondbacks a season high in runs. "Thatchers strikeout was really big," Gibson said. "Even though the game was 15-5, it was a close game. They had a lot of pressure on us. People are going to look at score and say it was a blowout, but it was far from that. Thats a good team over there and they kept coming at us." NOTES: The series concludes Sunday with Arizona LHP Wade Miley (9-8, 3.63) facing Pittsburgh RHP Charlie Morton (4-3, 3.79). ... The Diamondbacks optioned RHP Chaz Roe to Triple-A Reno to open a roster spot for Cahill. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero, who has been on the DL with a strained lower back since July 29, began an injury rehab assignment with the rookie-level Arizona League Diamondbacks on Saturday. ... The Pirates are hopeful RHP Jason Grilli, who has been on the disabled list since July 23 with a strained right forearm, can begin throwing off a mound by next weekend. Grilli has converted 30 of 31 save opportunities. Custom Kansas City Royals Jerseys Cheap . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Cheap Custom Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. http://www.baseballjerseyscustom.com/ . 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The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Minnesota Vikings keep finding ways to overcome injuries -and keep finding ways to win football games.Sam Bradford threw a touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph, Marcus Sherels returned a punt for a score and the Vikings snapped the Carolina Panthers 14-game home winning streak 22-10 on Sunday.The Vikings put the clamps on Cam Newton, intercepting the leagues reigning MVP three times and getting eight sacks, one of those resulting in a safety by Danielle Hunter. The eight sacks were the second-most ever against Newton.We have a great team -- the best team I have been a part of, said Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen, who had three sacks. We come from every area on the field and we get sacks.Said Newton: They were dictating to us after they got the momentum.The Vikings improved 3-0 despite losing running back Adrian Peterson and offensive tackle Matt Kalil to injuries last week. They lost starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in the preseason.The Panthers were averaging 42 points per game in their last three home games, but could do little after bolting to a 10-0 lead. The Vikings held Carolina wide receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess without a catch.For him not to have any touches is baffling, Newton said of Benjamin. We have to find ways to get him the ball.Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said the Vikings focus was on shutting down Benjamin.We just knew where Benjamin was the whole time, Munnerlyn said. Funchess, we werent worried about him. It was Kelvin Benjamin. Me personally, I think No. 17 (Funchess) is not that good, so we werent really worried about him.Benjamin said the Vikings pressure on Newton helped take him out of the game.Bradford improved to 2-0 as the Vikings starter, completing 18 of 28 passes for 171 yards. With Peterson injured, Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon combined for 70 yards rushing on 22 carries. Rudolph had seven catches for 70 yards, including a 15-yard TD catch to put the Vikings ahead for good in the early in the third quarter.HOME LOSS: It was Carolinas first home loss since Nov.dddddddddddd. 16, 2014.If you want to be a playoff team you have to win at home, Panthers offensive tackle Michael Oher said.Carolina only led 10-8 at halftime despite outgaining the Vikings 205-34 in the first half and limiting Minnesota to two first downs.PROTESTS OUTSIDE: Outside the stadium about 100 people gathered before the game to stage a peaceful protest over the police shooting of a 43-year-old black man last week.Panthers coach Ron Rivera said the events didnt affect the teams play.When we are here, we practice, we do the things we are supposed to do. We got out and we answered the questions, Rivera said. What happened here was very tragic, and what we were hoping to do was be able to come out and put that aside. We just didnt play very well. I am not looking for excuses.BY THE NUMBERS:Vikings: Asiata got the start at running back but McKinnon was more productive back with 45 yards on 16 carries.Panthers: Cameron Artis-Payne started over Fozzy Whittaker with Jonathan Stewart (hamstring) out of the lineup and ran for 47 yards on 12 carries. Whittaker only got five carries and had 22 yards rushing after running for 100 yards last week against San Francisco.SAFETY FIRST: Hunter beat Michael Oher to sack Newton in the end zone in the first quarter for Minnesotas first safety since Jared Allen had one on Dec. 4, 2011. Hunter has 6 1/2 sacks in his last seven games.SHERELS RETURN: Sherels accounted for the Vikings only touchdown of the first half, taking an Andy Lee punt near midfield and cutting across the grain for a 54-yard touchdown return.BENJAMINS BLUNDERS: Benjamin was called for two penalties in the first half, including a block in the back that nullified a 56-yard TD reception by Whittaker.INJURIES: Panthers first-round draft pick Vernon Butler left the game with a right ankle sprain in the third quarter and did not return.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '