Brewers 4, Pirates 3: Domingo Santana delivers with two-run homer in seventh inning

The Milwaukee Brewers have had trouble scoring lately without the benefit of a home run.

So, just when they needed it most, Domingo Santana delivered one Wednesday night.

Santana's two-run homer capped a three-run rally in the seventh inning that allowed the first-place Brewers to pull out a 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh at Miller Park and avoid a third consecutive loss to the Pirates. 

With Santana's home run, the Brewers have scored 19 of their last 23 runs via the long ball, something that was lacking in dropping the first two games of the series, 8-1, and 7-3.

In saving the game in the ninth, Brewers closer Corey Knebel tied the modern record of Aroldis Chapman (Cincinnati, 2014) by striking out a hitter in each of his first 37 appearances of the season. Knebel got a huge assist by shortstop Orlando Arcia, who made a fantastic, whirling play up the middle to end the game. 

Nearly every inning was a struggle for Brewers starter Junior Guerra, who continually played in traffic. A highlight-reel double play turned by Eric Sogard and Arcia extricated him from a bases-loaded jam in the second, but the Pirates continued to put pressure on Guerra.

RELATED: Knebel, Arcia combine for memorable ending

NOTES: Colorado Springs affiliate will move

DRAFT: Good news on top pick's elbow

BOX SCORE: Brewers 4, Pirates 3

MLB: Live scoreboard, box scores, standings, schedules

With one down in the third, Adam Frazier doubled and continued to third when centerfielder Keon Broxton bobbled the ball. Josh Harrison then hit a sand wedge – the pitch was nearly in the dirt – into shallow for a RBI double and 1-0 lead.

The Brewers drew even in the bottom of the inning on Santana’s two-out single off Trevor Williams but saw an opportunity to go on top slip away in the fourth. Hernán Pérez doubled with one down, only to watch centerfielder Andrew McCutchen chase down Manny Piña’s drive to deep left-center.

Broxton walked and Pérez stole third in the pitch, doing some fancy footwork to get around David Freese’s tag. When Broxton swiped second, the Pirates intentionally walked Arcia to get to Guerra, who flied out to deep center.

Another Frazier double in the fifth set up Pittsburgh’s go-ahead run when John Jaso also doubled. Josh Bell opened the Pirates’ sixth with a booming home run to right-center, his 13th of the season, making it a 3-1 game.

Despite allowing seven hits and five runs in his six-inning stint, Guerra held the Pirates to those three runs, giving his team a chance to mount a comeback. It began with Broxton’s leadoff single in the seventh and a double by Arcia that sent Williams from the game.

Lefty Tony Watson came on to face pinch-hitter Eric Thames, whose long bouncer up the middle scored Broxton to close the gap to one run. Watson struck out Sogard, prompting Pirates manager Clint Hurdle to summon righty Daniel Hudson to face Santana.

Hudson didn’t get an outside fastball bar enough outside, and Santana reached out and drove it down the right-field line, just inside of the foul pole for a two-run homer that put the Brewers on top, 4-3.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

• Thames was out of the starting lineup after striking out seven times in eight at-bats in the first two games against the Pirates. Thames has hit some big home runs in recent weeks but is batting only .179 in June with a .295 OBP, including 29 strikeouts in 67 at-bats.

Asked what a day off does for a player, manager Craig Counsell said, “It can be whatever you want. Hopefully, it serves both – physical and mental. That’s what days off are supposed to do. Your body gets a day of rest and you don’t have to grind on the preparation as much.”

• With Brewers first-round pick Keston Hiura on hand after signing for $4 million, Counsell was asked about his bonus as an 11th-round pick in 1992 by Colorado.

“My dad (John) signed a professional contract in 1964 (with Minnesota before the draft began),” he said. “He received $12,000. I received $5,000 in 1992. He bought a brand new Ford Mustang. I bought a used Toyota Tercel.”

STAT SHEET

• The Pirates, who once upon a time couldn’t win a game at Miller Park, had won eight of nine there dating to last season before the Brewers finally broke through.

TAKEAWAY

• Sometimes, it takes just one swing to change things completely. The Brewers were staring at a third consecutive home loss to the Pirates when they trailed, 3-1, in the seventh. Santana's two-run shot capped a three-run rally and instead of a losing streak the Brewers had a victory. 

RECORD

This year: 39-35 (20-22 home; 19-13 away)

Last year: 34-40

ATTENDANCE

Wednesday: 25,134

2017 total: 1,189,497 (28,321 avg.)

Last year: 1,179,864 (28,092 avg.)

NEXT GAME

Thursday: Brewers vs. Pirates, 1:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Chase Anderson (5-2, 2.92) vs. Milwaukee RHP Ivan Nova (7-4, 2.91). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.