Milwaukee closer Josh Hader worked out of a ninth-inning jam when the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates had the potential tying run cut down at home plate for the final out, preserving the Brewers’ 4-3 victory on Friday night.
Willy Adames opened the seventh inning against Yerry De Los Santos with his 17th homer to put Milwaukee in front 4-2.
Hader, who had given up the go-ahead run in his last two outings, walked Diego Castillo to open the ninth. Castillo advanced on a one-out wild pitch and took third on Kevin Newman’s single. Oneil Cruz struck out, but Daniel Vogelbach punched a single to right-center, scoring Castillo.
Newman continued around third but was thrown out on the relay from right fielder Andrew McCutchen to shortstop Adames to catch Victor Caratini.
Aaron Ashby (2-6) allowed two runs on three hits in five innings for his first victory since May 30. He struck out three and walked two.
Trevor Gott and Hoby Milner each followed with a perfect inning. Devin Williams allowed a walk and a single in the eighth but extended his scoreless streak to 23 consecutive outings. Williams gave way to Hader, who notched his major-league-best 26th save in 27 chances.
Pirates starter JT Brubaker (2-8) battled through five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with five walks, twice working out of bases-loaded jams. He fanned six.
Castillo put the Pirates up 2-1 with a two-run homer in the fourth. Castillo’s seventh homer, a 395-foot shot to left-center with two outs, scored Bryan Reynolds, who led off with a double.
The Brewers answered with two in the bottom of the fourth.
McCutchen walked and Kolten Wong hit an RBI triple into the right field corner. Luis Urias and Keston Hiura walked to load the bases. Jace Peterson’s two-out RBI single to center made it 3-2. Brubaker avoided further damage by striking out Christian Yelich and Adames.
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the second, loading the bases on a one-out single by Wong and a pair of walks. Hiura followed with an RBI single through the left side. Brubaker worked out of the inning by getting Peterson on a double-play grounder to second.
The game was the opener of the three-game weekend series.
–Field Level Media