MILWAUKEE -- Pitching on three days' rest for the first time in his big league career, Chase Anderson gave the Milwaukee Brewers a much-needed boost Wednesday night as they continued their late-season charge toward the postseason.

Anderson worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run, seven hits and a walk as the Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 at Miller Park.

"I felt strong today going out there," said Anderson, who picked up his 10th victory of the season. "I didn’t really have any feel for the cutter or the curveball; it kind of came and went as the game went on.

"I’m thankful our offense came through and put up a lot of runs for me again -- that's really nice. Then the plays that the defense made behind me. It was more about those guys tonight. I just tried to go out there and give us a chance to win."

Rookie outfielder Brett Phillips provided a punch on offense, driving in three runs with two hits. He also came up big on the defensive end, saving a run with a spot-on throw from center field that caught David Freese at the plate to end the fourth inning and Pittsburgh's only threat of the night.

"That was an outstanding play," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Phillips' big day also came with a bit of a laugh after he took a nose dive into the dirt rounding first on his RBI single in the fifth.

"The trip on the base path was definitely more memorable tonight," Phillips joked. "Good form on the dive, it was just a little too early, probably 30 feet too early. I made it there, any way any how, it's just what I can do, it's just what I can to help this team win."

Andrew McCutchen put Anderson in an early hole with a two-run solo shot in the first inning. It was the 200th of McCutchen's career and 25th of the season, but it wasn't enough to help right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who struggled with his command and lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his first big league start since June 9.

Hernan Perez' evened the score with an RBI single in the first and Eric Thames made it 3-1 with a two-run homer in the third.

Phillips plated two more with his unfortunate single, and after intentionally walking Orlando Arcia to bring up Anderson, Glasnow's day was done.

"He stayed aggressive, used secondary pitches behind

in the count," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who was tossed early in the game for arguing calls with home plate umpire Bill Welke.

"He did throw the curveball. He threw the changeup. But the overall fastball command continued to put him upside down in counts. I think it was 77 pitches, 40 strikes. He had to work up hill the entire time he was out there."

Wade LeBlanc got Pittsburgh out of the inning, but Milwaukee broke the game open in the fifth against Angel Sanchez.

Manny Pina drove two with an RBI double and Phillips drove in another with a base hit to make it 7-1 before scoring on a wild pitch by Sanchez.

Armed with a seven-run lead, Anderson came back out for the sixth inning but gave way after three straight singles made it 8-2.

"I think he did a nice job," Counsell said. "I don't think he was as crisp as he's been in some starts, but he did an excellent job."

The victory was the fifth in the last six games for Milwaukee, which remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago in the National League Central.

The Brewers did move a half-game ahead of St. Louis in the division and got within three games of Colorado for the second National League wild-card spot.

NOTES: The Brewers announced that their weekend series with the Miami Marlins has been shifted to Milwaukee because of ongoing recovery efforts in Miami in the wake of Hurricane Irma. ... Milwaukee scratched OF Domingo Santana from the lineup because of soreness in his right trapezius. ... OF Andrew McCutchen became the fourth player in Pirates history to hit 200 home runs. He ha 21 at Miller Park. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli took batting practice and said he still hopes to return this season from a left quad injury that has sidelined him since Aug. 25. Cervelli has been limited to 81 games this season because of a concussion and hand injury.