Nine-run first leads Bucs past Brewers 11-9
The Milwaukee Brewers fought back but were unable to top the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night, losing 11-9 after the Bucs put up nine runs in the first inning. This was the first time in over 100 years the Pirates scored nine in the first, and the barrage can be attributed in large part to Pedro Alvarez, who hit a grand slam. The win puts the Pirates at 33-60 on the season, 19.5 games behind the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers fell to 43-52, tying them for third in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs at 10.5 games back.
Jose Tabata started off the bottom of the first with an out, but it was all offence from there. Delwyn Young, Neil Walker and Garrett Jones all got on base to set up Alvarez's grand slam, his fourth homer of the season and the second grand slam all year for the Pirates. Lastings Milledge reached safely with a single, and thanks to two errors he made his way home. A third consecutive error and a sacrifice bunt by the Pirates' rookie starting pitcher Brad Lincoln placed runners in scoring position again, and this time Tabata made it count with a two-run double. Young followed with a double to score Tabata, and another double scored Young before Jones flew out to end the inning.
Milwaukee was shaken by the runs, but not scared stiff and they came back in the top of the second with some small-ball runs to get them back in the game. Alcides Escobar singled to score Prince Fielder, Jonathan Lucroy singled to get Jim Edmonds home and Rickie Weeks got Escobar home with another RBI single to cut the Pirates' lead by six.
Alvarez dampened their hopes by leading off the bottom of the second with another home run to push the Pirates into double-digit runs, but the Brewers once again answered in the bottom of the inning. Edmonds had a three-run blast to center and an infield single by Lucroy scored Escobar to cut the lead to three. This was the end of Lincoln's night on the mound and he wound up with a no decision, after pitching just two and a third and giving up seven earned runs.
Brewers' starting pitcher Dave Bush hung in to finish four innings and was tagged with the loss, his record dropping to 4-8 on the season.
Ryan Braun hit a two-run shot in the sixth to bring the Brewers within one, but an RBI sacrifice fly by Jones in the bottom of the inning ended the scoring for the night.
Pittsburgh hot in recent games
Scoring has been a trend for the Pirates in recent games, putting up nine runs or more in three of their last four.
"It was like running in a 100-metre dash and then running in a marathon," said Walker, who had a career-high five hits in the game. "That first inning was awesome; certainly nobody wanted to make the last out. I wish we could have added on about six more."
Walker finished with a perfect 5 for 5 with one RBI, but even five hits couldn't take away from Alvarez's 2 for 4, two home run and five RBI performance. He was only called up to the Pirates last month and struggled early on, but is now hitting over .300 with all five of his home runs in July.
"I feel a lot more comfortable than when I first started," he said. "That's what I try to do, just get in a groove and get more and more comfortable."
Brewers confident after loss
While Milwaukee was crippled by the first-inning blowout, manager Ken Macha was proud of his team for buckling down and continuing to play hard.
"You have to give our guys credit, you know, 9-0, and made it a ballgame," he said. "Things were getting interesting. ... We just dug too deep of a hole in the first inning."
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