Pirates bang out 13 hits in win over Brewers
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[September 21, 2016]
MILWAUKEE -- The odds are
against them at the moment, but the Pittsburgh Pirates aren't giving
up hope of a miraculous September run to the post-season.
They took a step in that direction Tuesday night, pounding out 13
hits in a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Pittsburgh's offense led the charge. The Pirates got to work early
against Brewers right-hander Matt Garza, who allowed five runs on
eight hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts over his four
innings of work.
Adam Frazier got things started with a leadoff single in the first
-- the first of his three hits on the day. Josh Bell followed with a
walk and Andrew McCutchen cashed in with a double down the
left-field line to make it a 2-0 game.
McCutchen and Jody Mercer each finished with two hits and a pair of
RBI, while Francisco Cervelli notched a pair of hits and scored
twice.
"We have got young players, two rookies at the top of the lineup
that have given us an offensive shot in the arm," Hurdle said. "
Milwaukee got on the board in the third when catcher Cervelli
couldn't handle Sean Rodriguez's relay throw on Domingo Santana's
double, allowing Chris Carter to score from first.
Mercer restored the two-run lead with a two-out RBI single in the
fourth but Maldonado got the run back in the bottom of the inning,
sending a 1-1 offering from Brault to left-center for his eight home
run of the season.
Garza's day ended in the fifth, after Bell's two run single with no
outs made it 5-2.
"He's been pitching really well," Brewers manager Craig Counsell
said. "It just wasn't his night tonight."
Garza left without speaking to reporters.
The Brewers squandered a golden opportunity in the bottom of the
frame, putting two on with nobody out and chasing starter Steven
Brault.
"Where we are in the season right now, I felt (Brault) gave us
(enough)," Hurdle said. "It is a sticky situation. You want guys who
can come in and have some experience and take care of it from
there."
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The move paid off. Pittsburgh turned to Jared Hughes (1-1) to face
Chris Carter, who hit a chopper right at third baseman Jung Ho Kang
that allowed Jonathan Villar to score but resulted in a
momentum-killing double play.
"We ended up scoring a run, but that's two outs right there on one
pitch," Carter said. "That kind of changed the momentum right
there."
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Hughes got out of the inning by striking out Domingo Santana.
"That certainly was the play of the game," Counsell said. "Middle of
the order up ... nobody out. That was definitely a big play."
Brault allowed three runs on five hits and a pair of walks while
striking out four in his 12th career start.
"I kept my team in it," Brault said. "Even though I couldn't go the
five and get the win, I kept my team in it and we got the win. We
are making a playoff push, that is all that really matters right
now."
Pittsburgh added an insurance run in the sixth against Ben Rowan
when Mercer drove in Cervelli to make it a three-run game.
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Milwaukee threatened once more in the sixth, putting two on with one
out for Maldonado, but again, the Pirates escaped thanks to a double
play and the Brewers managed just one baserunner over the final
three innings.
NOTES: Brewers LF Ryan Braun and C Manny Pina were not with the team
Tuesday as each joined their respective wives for the brith of their
children. ... Milwaukee selected the contract of C/1B Josmil Pinto
from Triple-A Colorado Springs Tuesday. Pinto, claimed off waivers
from San Diego last December, batted .308 with 11 home runs and 51
RBI in 86 games for Colorado Springs this season. He hasn't played
in the majors since 2014, when he appeared in 57 games for
Minnesota. ... Pirates C Chris Stewart underwent arthroscopic
surgery on his left knee Tuesday and will not play again this
season. Stewart began experiencing problems in the knee in June and
landed on the disabled list a month later. He returned briefly in
September but was placed on the 60-day DL on Sept. 13. He is batting
.214 in 133 plate appearances this season. ... The Pirates swept a
four-game series in their last visit to Milwaukee -- their first
sweep there since 2004 -- but have gone 21-64 at Miller Park since
the start of the 2007 season, and 60-103 overall against the Brewers
during that same stretch.
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