Pirates Take Down Brewers in Pitchers' Duel
If you're one for offense, well, this one was not for you. The Pirates and Brewers combined for eight hits on Wednesday night, a game in which the Bucs won 2-1.
Milwaukee's Jake Bauers hit a solo shot just to the left of the Clemente wall, marking his first long ball in over a month. Pirates' starting pitcher Luis Ortiz would settle in shortly after that home run retiring nine of the next ten batters. He strung together five scoreless frames to end his night, going seven strong to lower his season ERA to 3.32.
All of Pittsburgh's offense came in the fifth inning when Yasmai Grandal and Nick Yorke issued back-to-back walks setting up for Liover Peguero to collect his first hit with the big league club this season. Peguero doubled to left center, scoring both runners to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead.
Aroldis Chapman had a pretty easy top half of the ninth to pick up the save. His strikeout of Bryce Perkins marked the most strikeouts in a single season by a Pirates left-handed relief pitcher with 95.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. 3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa 2-4
2. LF Bryan Reynolds 0-4
3. CF Oneil Cruz 0-4
4. DH Andrew McCutchen 0-3
5. 2B Nick Gonzales 0-3
6. 1B Jared Triolo 0-3
7. C Yasmani Grandal 0-2, BB
8. RF Nick Yorke 0-2, BB
9. SS Liover Peguero 1-3 2B, 2 RBI
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
1. 2B Brice Turang 0-3, BB
2. LF Jackson Chourio 0-4
3. C William Contreras 1-4
4. CF Garrett Mitchell 0-3
PH Bryce Perkins 0-1
5. SS Willy Adames 1-4
6. DH Jake Bauers 1-3 HR, RBI
7. 1B Rhys Hoskins 1-3
8. RF Sal Frelick 1-3
9. 3B Joey Ortiz 0-3
The Pirates will wrap up the series with Milwaukee and the home portion of their 2024 schedule tomorrow at 12:35 p.m. EST. Mitch Keller (11-11, 4.21 ERA) is scheduled to face Aaron Civale (7-9, 4.54 ERA).
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN