PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle dug way back to come up with a comparison and a way to compliment his current pinch-hitter extraordinaire after Matt Joyce hit his fourth pinch-home run of the season on Saturday.

"This is as good a streak as I've been around outside of Rusty Staub back when I played with him," Hurdle said of Joyce. "You drop a pinch-hitter's name, you drop him in the context of Rusty Staub, you're talking about a special guy. ... I've been fortunate to see some guys do it, and this is about as good as I've seen anybody do it. Fantastic."

Joyce's three-run shot provided the winning run and was part of a five-run seventh for the Pirates in an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.

Although he has gotten some starts with Pittsburgh, Joyce has made himself invaluable off the bench, even though coming into a game cold isn't always ideal.

"Preparation. I spend a lot time preparing," said Joyce, a former Angels player. "Obviously, I try to learn the pitchers. I try to stay as prepared as possible. I try to work off the machine in the cage during the game so I can try to get up to game speed. There's no secret formula. It just one of those things where you put in the work and preparation to ensure that you'll be as successful as possible."

Jung Ho Kang and Gregory Polanco also hit home runs as Pittsburgh broke a four-game losing streak.

Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke (5-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings and has won a career-best four consecutive starts.

"I was trying to keep them off-balance and not throw two pitches in a row in the same spot," said Locke, whose previous start was a complete game and his first major-league shutout. "I think we just moved the ball around well. And then the offense backed me when I came out of the game."

Angels starter Jhoulys Chacin (1-1) singled and scored but did not get a decision, giving up three runs and six hits through five innings.

Los Angeles scored four in the ninth, but the comeback fell just short.

"I just wasn't really controlling my pitches. I was all over the place,"Chacin said. "But I battled; I did the best I could do to keep the team in there. At least I didn't give up a big inning and it didn't get away. But I couldn't go as deep in the game as I wish I could have gone."

Fernando Salas (2-2), the Angels' third pitcher, took the loss. He gave up four runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Kole Calhoun's shot just over the center-field wall gave him his sixth homer of the season and the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first.

Kang got that back and more in the second. After a double off the center-field wall by Starling Marte, Kang's eighth home run landed in the Angels' bullpen in center for a 2-1 Pittsburgh lead.

Chacin helped Los Angeles tie it in the third when he led off with a bloop single. He scored an out later on Yunel Escobar's double.

In the fourth, Josh Harrison led off with a single to center, moved to second on Jordy Mercer's single to right, to third on Locke's sacrifice bunt and scored when Andrew McCutchen drew a bases-loaded walk from Chacin to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead.

Shane Robinson tied the score with his first homer -- just inside the left-field foul pole -- leading off the sixth for the Angels.

Pittsburgh scored five runs in the seventh for an 8-3 lead, starting with Polanco's 451-foot blast to right. Harrison later added an RBI single and Joyce hit a three-run homer to center. It was Joyce's sixth homer overall.

The Angels closed within 8-7 in the eighth on Escobar's RBI double, Calhoun's RBI single, Johnny Giavotella's RBI fielder's choice and an Carlos Perez's RBI double.

"Those guys have hitters who can drive the ball and they took advantage of some mistakes that Fernando made and (reliever) Greg Mahle made," Los Angeles manager Mike Scoscia said. "They jumped on us in the seventh; we countered in the top of the eighth; it just wasn't enough."

Mark Melancon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 17th save of the season.

"That's what big-time closers do," Hurdle said. "A little madness comes to the game, your closer comes in and goes 1-2-3."

NOTES: RHP Nick Tropeano originally was scheduled to start for the Angels but was scratched because of a sore shoulder and placed on the 15-day disabled list. ... Los Angeles brought RHP Deolis Guerra up from Triple-A Salt Lake. ... SS Jordy Mercer, one of three Pirates hit by pitches Thursday, returned to the starting lineup. C Francisco Cervelli (foot) and IF David Freese (hand) did not. ... Pittsburgh recalled LHP Cory Luebke and selected RHP Curtis Partch from Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates optioned RHP Wilfredo Boscan and RHP Rob Scahill to Indianapolis. ... Pittsburgh transferred RHP Ryan Vogelsong (facial fractures) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. ... Los Angeles RHP Tim Lincecum (hip) is scheduled to make his second rehab start for Triple-A Salt Lake Tuesday. ... The Pirates held a moment of silence for boxing icon Muhammad Ali, who died Friday.