DETROIT -- A.J. Burnett put on a how-to-pitch clinic and Pittsburgh hitters brought back memories of the old Lumber Company from the 1970s.

Burnett held Detroit to two runs and seven hits in seven innings and the Pirates hit four home runs to bury the Tigers 9-3.

"He navigated through a very tough lineup," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He threw 24 of 29 first-pitch strikes.

"He moved the ball around, went in and out, up and down. It was a really, really strong performance from him."

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said, "He was hitting the outside corner pretty consistently. Obviously, the big breaking ball is a good pitch for him. He's really kind of retooled his whole approach to pitching since the time I faced him a decade ago to the pitcher he is now.

"He's much more of a control pitcher but still has the breaking ball to get the swing and miss. He did a nice job. He's done a nice job all year."

Pirates second baseman Neil Walker two home runs and had three RBIs and left fielder Starling Marte and designated hitter Pedro Alvarez also homered.

Tigers reliever Joba Chamberlain gave up three of the home runs, all in the eighth as the Pirates' 6-2 lead expanded to 9-2.

"Those guys came out hungry," Burnett (7-3) said of the power display. "It was good to see Pedro and Walker hit those home runs.

"It doesn't (make any difference to me). I program myself to pitch like it's 0-0. I was trying to get strike one and then get back in the dugout."

Right-hander Jared Hughes pitched the eighth for Pittsburgh and right-hander Arquimedes Caminero worked the ninth, giving up catcher James McCann's fourth home run of the season on his first pitch.

Walker's two-run homer came in the third and he bounced his sixth home run of the season off the top of the left-field wall in the eighth. Marte hit his 11th to left and Alvarez smashed his 11th close to the brick wall in deep right center field.

Tigers right-hander Alfredo Simon (7-5) was erratic with his split-finger fastball. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven but also gave up 15 of Pittsburgh's 21 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

"It was a little firm," Ausmus said of Simon's split-finger. "The harder the split is, usually the less action it has on it downward."

The Pirates erupted for seven hits and five runs in the third to take a 5-1 lead.

Walker's first home run followed third baseman Josh Harrison's double. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen singled, Alvarez doubled and catcher Francisco Cervelli drove in a run with a groundout to second.

Right fielder Gregory Polanco had with an RBI single and the fifth run of the inning scored as Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias threw wide for an error on shortstop Jordy Mercer's single to short.

"He didn't have his command," Ausmus said. “He escaped some jams. The third inning was where they scored on him, but he was scuffling to get outs. The silver lining is he gave us some innings on a day we needed some innings."

Right-hander Al Alburquerque relieved Simon with two outs in the sixth and threw a run-scoring wild pitch with runners on first and third, putting the Pirates ahead 6-1.

Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes drove in a run in the bottom of the sixth with a groundout that scored designated hitter Victor Martinez from third. Martinez doubled with one out and advanced on Burnett's wild pitch.

Detroit opened the scoring in the second on consecutive singles by Cespedes, right fielder J.D. Martinez and third baseman Nick Castellanos.

NOTES: Tigers RHP Alex Wilson got Wednesday off after throwing 57 pitches in 3 1/3 innings the previous night. He has now pitched in every inning through 14 at some point this season. ... Pittsburgh's 17-9 June was the third-best record in baseball for the month. ... Detroit RF J.D. Martinez has hit 43 home runs since making his Tigers debut on April 21, 2014, with 20 coming in the seventh inning or later. ... Burnett left Wednesday's start needing twos strikeouts to pass LHP Jim Kaat (2,461) for the 35th highest total in major league history.