The Pittsburgh Pirates hope to have the opportunity to use their new closer Sunday as they attempt to avoid a three-game sweep when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the finale of their series. After going 15 games without a homer, Carter homered in two of the three games against the Pirates.NOTES: Brewers C Jonathan Lucroy vetoed a trade that would have sent him to the Cleveland Indians for four prospects. He tacked on an RBI single in the seventh inning to extend the Brewers’ lead. The Brewers are 12th of 15 teams in the NL in runs scored and in the middle of the pack in ERA as they prepare for the trade deadline on August 1.
Advertisement
Manager Craig Counsell began walking out to the mound. “He’s got me a couple of times”.
“I was less nervous at first than I thought”. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. The rally died when Marte and Kang ran into outs on the bases. An error allowed Pittsburgh to score on a fielder’s choice by John Jaso in the fifth, but the Pirates managed just two baserunners in four innings against the Brewers’ bullpen.
“I was good either way”, he said. Unfortunately I didn’t get it. But that’s baseball for you.
Brewers starter Chase Anderson (6-10) lasted only five innings, allowing an unearned run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out a season-high seven.
The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled switching-hitting infielder Max Moroff from Triple-A Indianapolis. Starling Marte led off the second with a double but ended the inning getting caught trying to steal third.
“There wasn’t a clean inning out there”, Hurdle said. “However he made pitches”.
Gregory Polanco hit his 14th homer, an eighth-inning drive off Will Smith.
Guerra has been a pleasant surprise for the Brewers since coming to the major leagues on May 3. Perez filled in tremendously as he finished 3-4 with 3 RBIs and 1 HR which came in the bottom of the first. “He’s got swing-and-miss stuff after that whether it’s the split or the breaking ball, changeup”.
Pittsburgh is 17-64 at Miller Park since 2007. Colorado’s Trevor Story and Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo each have 16.
BILOXI (AA): The Shuckers were never able to recover after the Jacksonville Suns scored three runs in the first inning and lost, 5-3, despite Dustin MeMuth’s 4-for-5 performance at the place. Vogelsong has been out since May 24 with facial fractures.
Ryan Braun is expected to resume playing this week.
The Brewers play at San Diego on Monday. “Just a little bit tight; waiting for it to loosen up”, Braun said.
Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.60 ERA) will make his eighth career start and his second against Milwaukee.
Advertisement
Starting pitching was strong for both teams. Braun was scratched due to tightness in his right side.
