The Pirates entered the series having lost nine straight games in Milwaukee and with an atrocious 17-64 record at the Brewers’ home park since 2007.They’ve responded with three straight wins to begin the set – Pittsburgh’s first such streak in Miller Park since 2013 – including a 9-6 triumph on Saturday.
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Nelson didn’t get hit with the loss, but he wasn’t able to get through the fourth inning with the Pirates rallying for five runs to erase what was a Brewers 5-1 lead. Hernan Perez had great success against Taillon hitting two home runs, driving in four.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Keon Broxton steals second base before Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison can apply the tag during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 26, 2016, in Milwaukee.
“Our only hits were with two outs in the inning and we didn’t have a hit with men on bases at all today”, Counsell said.
“I was trying not to think about it”, Nova said of the injury. McCutchen scampered to third, and Starling Marte scored him by stinging an RBI double down the left-field line, breaking the scoreless deadlock.
“That lineup and their starting pitching is pretty good”, Anderson said.
However, Cravy – who had replaced Nelson – homered off Jeff Locke (9-7) to open the bottom of the inning for his first major league hit.
Tony Watson escaped the jam for his ninth save.
A pair of veteran right-handers, Vogelsong and Garza, kept the bats quiet over the first five innings.
Pirates: General manager Neal Huntington said after the game that a second opinion would be sought on the ailing right elbow of pitcher Gerrit Cole.
Nova (4-0) retired 10 of his final 11 batters after allowing Villar’s solo homer in the third. He was hitting.182 coming into the night. In 51/3 innings of two-run baseball, he allowed four hits and four walks, striking out six. With Gregory Polanco on the bench after going hitless in the first two games of this series, Brewers manager Craig Counsell made a decision to intentionally walk McCutchen and load the bases. He improved to 8-2 with a 2.96 ERA on the season.
Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (3-3) has a 2.25 ERA over his last eight starts, going at least six innings in each game.
Barring setback, his next start will be for the Brewers.
Guerra, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since August 3 because of right elbow inflammation, threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Colorado Springs during a rehab start on Saturday.
Nova was pulled from Sunday’s start against the Brewers after six innings due to left hamstring discomfort.
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Nelson is now 2-10 with a 5.87 ERA over his last 16 starts.
