Article: Series Recap: Pirates @ Brewers

[DuWayne Steurer]

The Brewers took on the Pirates in another critical three game series starting Monday. Despite a series win over the rival Cubs in the weekend set, a disappointing loss in Friday night's tilt left the Brewers still chasing the Padres for the final wild card spot, down a game and a half after the weekend. 

Game 1 -- Brewers 7, Pirates 5
Box Score

Brewers ace Corbin Burnes took the hill for the first game of the series. The Brewers struck first, getting an RBI single from Willy Adames in the third, and an RBI double from hot hitting Hunter Renfroe later in the same frame. Staked to a three-run lead, Burnes pitched four scoreless innings, working around trouble until the fifth. An RBI single, and a three-run homerun by notorious Brewers killer Oneil Cruz gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead. 

The Pirates tagged Burnes for one more run in the sixth, and carried a 5-3 lead into the eighth inning.

With two outs in the eights, and still down 5-3, Omar Narvaez drew a walk, prompting the Pirates to bring in reliever Wil Crowe. Freshly minted Brewers callup Garrett Mitchell greeted Crowe with his first career big league blast to tie the game.

 

Devin Williams pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the Brewers and Keston Hiura sent 'em home happy two batters into the bottom of the frame.

Williams got the win for the Brewers on the walk-off, and his record improves to 5-3 on the year.

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Game 2 -- Pirates 4, Brewers 2
Box Score

Jason Alexander took the hill for the Brewers tonight looking to stretch the Crew's modest win streak to four games. Alexander pitched well tonight and set a career high in strikeouts before the end of the third inning, with six punchouts.

The Brewers staked Alexander to a 2-1 lead, on a Kolten Wong two-run homerun in the fourth inning. Alexander was pulled at the end of the fifth inning, having thrown just 59 pitches and allowing just three hits and one run. An argument could be made for sending Alexander back out to work another inning, but the top of the order was also due back up, and Alexander has an 1.112 OPS against when he faces the opposing order a third time through. That has to play in the decision making.

Hoby Milner relieved Alexander and pitched a scoreless sixth. Matt Bush took the seventh, and gave up a run on a solo home run to Michael Chavis. Brad Boxberger and Peter Strzelecki each gave up a run in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, as the bullpen collectively failed to back up Alexander tonight.

 

The Brewers had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, with men on first and third and only one out, but Luis Urias grounded into a game ending double play to end the threat.

Boxberger took the loss, dropping to 3-3 on the season.

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Game 3 -- Brewers 6, Pirates 1
Box Score
Freddy Peralta took the hill for the series win.. Peralta pitched five solid innings, giving up just one run, on a solo home run to former Brewer (and noted Brewer killer) Ben Gamel, who has a higher OPS against the Brewers than any other team aside from the Tigers and Mariners, who he has only 8 plate appearances against. Aside from the dinger to Gamel, Peralta went five innings and struck out three batters, gave up just two hits, and threw just seventy four pitches. 

The Brewers tied the game in the fifth, on a Adames RBI double, and took the lead on an Narvaez groundout in the sixth. The Crew tacked on four runs in the seventh, and never looked back. Hiura and Urias RBI singles, followed by a pair of bases loaded walks around a pair of Pirates defensive miscues gave the Brewers a 6-1 lead. 

Adrian Houser returned and pitched two scoreless innings in relief today to mop up the game and secure the victory for Taylor Rogers, moving him to 3-6 on the year, and giving another series win to the Brewers as they get a day off on Thursday before heading to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks. 

 

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