Chris Capuano allowed a run in two innings of work, as well as three hits and three walks. The Pirates are in the middle of the pack offensively in the early going of 2016 but had yielded 14 homers while hitting only three before Andrew McCutchen added to the total with his first in 54 plate appearances this season in Saturday’s 5-0 win.
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Locke walked the leadoff batter in each of the first four innings and the Brewers took advantage by scoring single runs in the second, third and fourth to move in front 3-0.
Through thirteen games the Pirates only have seven home runs, six of their eight starters have yet to hit a home run this season. Sean Rodriguez had a two-run homer and Josh Harrison and John Jaso each had two hits for the Pirates (7-6), who took the series from the Brewers (5-7) after a loss in the opener Friday.
The Brewer were defeated by the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-3 and lost the series at PNC Park on Sunday afternoon.
Cappy gave up a single shot homer to McCutchen in the fifth, and Torres gave up a two-run shot in the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Matt Joyce hit a three-run homer, his first, to chase Nelson (2-1) with none out in the seventh.
Moving forward, Counsell wants to see his starting pitchers pick up the slack to help out a bullpen that is becoming overtaxed.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell said right-hander Zach Davies will be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs to start Sunday in the finale of the three-game.
The Milwaukee Brewers did not play crisp baseball Sunday afternoon, and the Pirates took advantage.
This season, however, the Pirates have lost six of their last seven games and now have a losing record due in large part to an area once perceived as a strength. Their runs scored at 39 is in the bottom third of the league at least, most likely bottom five pending the other games today. “You have to shake it off and get ready for next time”. He gave up three runs and four hits while walking four and striking out one.
“To me that’s starting pitching”, Counsell said.
“The club has continued to build some momentum as far as the battle-in-the-box mentality”, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Davies was pounded by the Pirates for the third time in seven career starts. “We had a three-run inning (but) from then on, we (had) a couple of rallies but we weren’t able to get anything else going”. The Pirates cut the gap to 5-4 later in the inning on back-to-back doubles by David Freese and Starling Marte with two outs.
Sunday, Pittsburgh preached patience with its gameplan. “It was tough. But always a new day”. That pressure led to 11 hits and 10 walks, and the left 12 on base.
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Right fielder Ryan Braun received a day off. Counsell stressed the break had been planned well in advance and that Braun has held up well physically after undergoing back surgery last fall.
