Neil Walker went 5-for-5 and Pedro Alvarez homered twice, including a grand slam in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ wild 11-9 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.

Alvarez's grand slam came in the first and keyed a nine-run outburst, the first time the Pirates scored nine runs in the first inning since June 6, 1989 against Philadelphia. They hadn’t done it at home since Aug. 8, 1893, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Alvarez finished with five RBIs and now has hit safely in seven of his last eight games. He has hit three of his five home runs this year in his last six games.

But in true Pittsburgh fashion the Pirates nearly blew it, allowing the Brewers to close within 10-9 on Ryan Braun’s two-run homer in the sixth, his 15th this year.

Jim Edmonds also homered for Milwaukee.

Walker, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2004, raised his average 22 points to .311 in one game. He singled four times and doubled once.

Dave Bush (4-8) allowed 10 runs, but only five were earned because of three Brewers errors.

Pittsburgh’s D.J. Carrasco (2-2) pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in place of rookie Brad Lincoln, who was pounded for seven runs in 2 1/3 innings in what was easily the shortest outing of his brief career.