Pirates Struggles Against Brewers Continue In 8-2 Loss
MILWAUKEE (KDKA/AP) -- The Pirates epic struggles in Milwaukee continued Saturday afternoon as three Brewers hit solo home runs in an 8-2 win at Miller Park.
The Pirates have lost 29 of their last 31 games there.
Prince Fielder and Brandon Boggs homered in the fourth inning off Jeff Karstens (2-2).
Then, after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected in the top of the seventh, the Brewers scored five times in the bottom half. Ryan Braun hit his 11th homer in the eighth.
Milwaukee's Chris Narveson (2-3) ended his three-game losing streak. He gave up one run and four hits in six innings.
For the Pirates, Jose Tabata had a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
But leading 2-1, the Brewers pulled away in the seventh, helped by an error from third baseman Pedro Alvarez.
Pinch-hitter Corey Hart opened with a double off reliever Daniel McCutchen and tried to advance on Rickie Weeks' grounder to shortstop Ronny Cedeno. Alvarez missed Cedeno's throw, putting runners at the corners.
Joe Beimel came on to face Craig Counsell, who bunted back to the mound. Hart beat Beimel's throw to catcher Ryan Doumit, and Counsell reached on the sacrifice. After a walk loaded the bases, Fielder hit an RBI single.
Casey McGehee greeted Jose Veras with a two-run double and Jonathan Lucroy drove in another run with a bloop single.
Hurdle was ejected by first-base umpire Chris Conroy in the seventh.
The Pirates were trailing 2-1 and had runners on first and second when Neil Walker grounded sharply to Weeks. The second baseman tossed to Counsell for a forceout, and the shortstop's relay beat Walker in a very close play.
Hurdle ran out to argue the call and was tossed.
Lyle Overbay hit a solo home run in the eighth for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates finish their three-game series with the Brewers Sunday at 2:10 p.m.
RELATED LINKS:
Pittsburgh Pirates
Milwaukee Brewers
More Pirates News
More Sports News
