Brew Crew Uses Late Two-Out, Two-Strike Single to Take Series With 6-5 Win

Brent Suter faced three Pirates and got three grounders in the first; Trevor Williams also worked an easy frame with a pair of K. It was a quiet second for the Pirates. The Brew Crew started with a walk and two raps to load the bases; with an out, they got a single and error on a slow roller; Kevin Newman tried to rush before throwing the ball away to make it 2-0. With two away in the third, the Bucs knotted the score when Tuck walked and Gonzo went deep (HBD to me!). Willy gave the lead right back with a bopped batter and single; a well-timed 4-6-3 DP kept the inning in hand, but a two-out rap put the Crew was back on top 3-2. Drew Rasmussen took over in the fourth - it's a bullpen day for Milwaukee - and surrendered a pair of walks with two outs before getting a comebacker to shut it down. Willy was touched for a double and walk to open. With an out, Williams almost escaped; he got a DP ball, but K-Man misfired on the relay and the Brewers plated another. 

Sam Howard was strong again tonight - photo Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates kept it tight as Tuck doubled and scored on Fraze's two-out knock in the fifth. Keston Hiura had a quick answer, leading off with a homer, and Sam Howard took the hill. He calmed it down, issuing a walk, then picking off the runner. Freddy Peralta answered the bell for the sixth. Redbeard walked and Stalls doubled; Joey O's two-out single chased them both home to tie the score at 5-5. Sam walked another guy but kept the scoreboard clean. Fraze was nicked by a pitch with an out in the seventh and Devin Williams got the call. He added a walk, but left the Buccos on the bases. Tyler Bashlor toed the slab and spun a clean frame. Williams struck out the side in the eighth and Nik Turley took his turn. He gave up a leadoff double and held the runner in place for two outs. Shelty called for an intentional walk, then brought in Chris Stratton. The brain storming didn't work as Orlando Arcia bounced a two-strike single into left to give the Crew the lead. Josh Hader got back on the bike in the ninth and was on his game this time, striking out the side.

The Buc starter, Trevor Williams, put the bullpen in a bad spot; of course, K-Man's two throwaways helped keep Willy in hot water. The Bucs did keep on, scoring all five runs on two-out knocks, but minus a timely long ball, it's hard to put together a big number when you get five hits and fan 15 times.

Notes:

• Stalls and Tuck reached twice with a knock and walk each; Redbeard drew a pair of free passes. Gonzo and J-Bell whiffed three times; three other Bucs K'ed twice. Moran was the only Pirates not to go down on strikes tonight. With that, the Pirates are in the MLB's middle of the pack in K; the problem is that they're last in slugging % and hitting under .220 overall.
• The Bucs head home to PNC Park after this one. They play the Cubbies three times, the Reds four times, and close out with the White Sox for a pair.