Josh Bell blasted a two-run homer and Gregory Polanco added a solo shot Sunday to lead the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates past the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1.
Adam Frazier and Kevin Newman each added an RBI single for the Pirates.
Milwaukee got an RBI double from Keston Hiura.
Pittsburgh starter Steven Brault lasted just three innings. There was no immediate indication he was injured. He gave up one run and three hits, with one walk and five strikeouts.
Nick Tropeano (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Brandon Woodruff (2-3) allowed four runs and four hits in five innings, with seven strikeouts and three walks. He was expected to immediately go on the paternity list following the game.
Pittsburgh played without left fielder Bryan Reynolds, who went on the paternity list.
The Pirates struck first when Polanco led off the second with his fifth homer, to right-center. That broke Polanco's 0-for-18 drought at the plate.
Milwaukee struck back in the third. Luis Urias led off with a single to right and moved to second when Christian Yelich reached on Bell's fielding error at first. An out later, Ryan Braun hit into a fielder's choice, leaving runners at first and third. Hiura followed with a two-out RBI double to center to bring home Urias and make it 1-1.
In the fourth, Newman opened with a single to right. Bell belted his fourth homer to right for a 3-1 Pittsburgh lead.
The Pirates squeaked out another in the fifth. With two outs, Woodruff walked Erik Gonzalez and Frazier. Newman singled to center. Gonzalez came home, but Newman seemingly ill-advisedly went to third, drawing a throw. It took a review to confirm that Gonzalez crossed home before Newman was tagged out at third, and it was 4-1.
With one out in the seventh against Brewers reliever Alex Claudio, John Ryan Murphy singled up the middle. He was eliminated by Jason Martin's fielder's choice. Chase Yardley replaced Claudio, and Gonzalez greeted him with an infield single, moving Martin to third. Frazier singled to right to drive in Martin for a 5-1 lead.
--Field Level Media
Pittsburgh | Milwaukee | |
Steven Brault | Player | Brandon Woodruff |
No Decision | W/L | Loss |
3.0 | IP | 5.0 |
5 | Strikeouts | 7 |
3 | Hits | 4 |
0.00 | ERA | 7.20 |
Pittsburgh | Milwaukee | |
Kevin Newman | Player | Jedd Gyorko |
2 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
2 | TB | 2 |
.500 | Avg | .667 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Pittsburgh | 7 | 2 | 13 | .212 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Milwaukee | 6 | 0 | 6 | .176 | 27 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |