Brewers: Ryan Braun helps swipe a sweep of Pirates
By Phil Watson
Ryan Braun’s fifth-inning stolen base put him into some select company and helped the Milwaukee Brewers to their second sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates since the All-Star break.
Braun stole second base in the fifth, his 20th of the season, and scored on Khris Davis’ double to give the Brewers (58-75) a 2-1 lead they would never relinquish in a 5-3 victory over the Pirates (79-53).
ALSO ON DAIRYLAND EXPRESS: Milwaukee’s Best: The Best Of Braves, Brewers
The stolen base gave Braun his fourth career season with at least 20 home runs and 20 steals—just the 31st player in MLB history to accomplish the feat.
Taylor Jungmann (9-5) again shut down the Pirates, earning his third win in three starts against the Bucs this season. He allowed just a run on three hits in six innings, walking two and striking out three.
More from Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Brewers are making a bold bet with Jackson Chourio
- 5 Pitchers Milwaukee Brewers Should Trade For
- Milwaukee Brewers: 3 trade packages the New York Mets could make for Corbin Burnes
- This former player will eventually manage the Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Brewers: 3 trade packages the Baltimore Orioles could offer for Corbin Burnes
The rookie right-hander has surrendered three runs in 20 innings against Pittsburgh, a nifty 1.35 ERA.
The Brewers got to Pittsburgh lefty Francisco Liriano (9-7) in the fourth inning. Jason Rogers started the frame with a walk and went to third on a double to left by Domingo Santana.
Hernan Perez followed with a fly ball to center deep enough to score Rogers for a 1-0 lead.
Pittsburgh manufactured a run in the fifth. Jordy Nelson led off with a double, moved up to third on a fly out by Liriano and scored on Josh Harrison’s groundout.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jonathan Lucroy extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games with a ground-ball single up the middle before he was wiped out on Braun’s grounder to third.
Braun stole second and came home when Davis lined a double to the gap in left-center field, just out of the reach of a diving Harrison.
Milwaukee added two runs in the sixth. Santana led off with a walk and scored on Perez’s triple to right.
Elian Herrera then belted what was first called a home run to left field, but was reviewed and overturned.
Instead, Herrera was credited with a double to score Perez, giving the Brewers a 4-1 lead.
Will Smith ran into some trouble in the seventh, allowing a triple to Michael Morse, an RBI double to Mercer and an RBI single to Jung Ho Kang.
Smith was lifted after giving up a single to Starling Marte with two outs. Tyler Thornburg struck out Aramis Ramirez to end the threat.
Milwaukee got an insurance run in the eighth when Santana clubbed a homer to right-center field off reliever Radhames Liz, his fourth since joining the Brewers and his sixth of the season overall.
Smith is seriously scuffling of late, giving up five runs on 11 hits in his last five innings pitched, covering six appearances.
Jeremy Jeffress allowed a hit and a walk but came out of the eighth unscathed before Francisco Rodriguez worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 33rd save of the season.
Perez was 3-for-3 as the Brewers collected 10 hits. Santana was 2-for-3 on the night.
Live Feed
Reviewing the Brew
The Brewers open a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park Friday at 6:10 p.m. Central.
Matt Garza (6-14, 5.56 ERA) gets a chance to pitch himself out of a recent funk for Milwaukee to open a 10-game road trip that includes three games at Miami and four at Pittsburgh. Keyvius Sampson (2-2, 6.43 ERA) goes for Cincinnati.
Garza is 4-3 in 11 career starts against the Reds, posting a 4.71 ERA and 1.415 WHIP in 65 innings with 53 strikeouts. He is 1-0 in two starts against Cincinnati this season, allowing nine runs on 16 hits in 10.1 innings.
He was battered by the Reds in his last start on Saturday at Miller Park, giving up seven runs on 11 hits in 3.2 innings, walking one and striking out two, taking a no-decision in a game the Brewers eventually lost 12-9.
Sampson also took a no-decision in that game, allowing six runs—five earned—on seven hits in 3.2 innings, walking two and striking out three in his first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Next: Davies Impresses Early, Crew Beats Pirates