Brewers 7, Pirates 6: Five home runs do all the damage as win streak reaches four games

On this day, long ball topped small ball.

The Pittsburgh Pirates kept delivering run-scoring singles Wednesday afternoon and the Milwaukee Brewers kept answering with home runs.

Manny Piña delivered the final blow, a two-run, opposite-field shot to right in the eighth inning that proved to be the decisive blow in the Brewers' 7-6 victory at Miller Park. It was the fourth consecutive triumph for the Brewers, who swept the two-game set from the Pirates.

When the day was done, the Brewers had scored all seven of their runs on five homers, including two by Keon Broxton. The Pirates' total of six RBI singles was not enough, nor was the fact they went 6 for 12 with runners in scoring position while the Brewers were 0 for 0.

"It's certainly fun when you hit home runs," manager Craig Counsell said. "That was a fun game today. We kept coming back."

It didn't look good for the Brewers when the Pirates rallied for three runs in the third inning against Jimmy Nelson, giving their ace, Gerrit Cole, a 4-0 lead. Cole had a 1.29 ERA in three previous starts this season against Milwaukee, allowing only three runs in 21 innings.

But the Brewers' comeback began immediately in the bottom of the third when Broxton led off with an opposite-field home run. Newcomer Neil Walker, a Pittsburgh native who began his career with the Pirates, added a two-run shot and it was game on.

"I've seen this before, as a visiting player, how resilient these guys are," said Walker, who played for the New York Mets when the Brewers rallied on Mother's Day from an 8-3 deficit to win, 11-9, on a three-run homer by Piña in the eighth. "The ability to hit the long ball helps.

"(Cole) is a good friend of mine; a very good pitcher. Usually, when he gets a lead like that, it's tough to come back. But we did a great job of giving ourselves opportunities and taking advantage when we could. That was a good answer back."

Nelson settled down after that rough inning and allowed the Brewers to come all the way back on a home run by Travis Shaw leading off the bottom of the sixth. In 10 previous starts against the Brewers, Cole had allowed only four homers in 64 innings but on this day he was tagged for three. 

"I thought we had some really good at-bats against him," Counsell said. "We took advantage of three mistakes and drove them out of the park. That's probably the way you've got to score against him because he was making a lot of quality pitches." 

BOX SCORE: Brewers 7, Pirates 6

NOTES:Braun hitting the ball as well as ever

MLB: Live scoreboard, box scores, standings, schedules

Aided by an error on first baseman Jesús Aguilar, the Pirates went back on top, 5-4, on Josh Harrison's RBI single off reliever Jared Hughes in the seventh. But Broxton answered again with his second home run, leading off the bottom of the inning against reliever George Kontos.

Broxton admitted it got his attention Tuesday night when Counsell gave infielder Jonathan Villar a start in center field to get more left-handed bats in the lineup. Broxton hit a home run off the bench late in that game and came back with two more, trying to stake his claim for playing time.

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't (light a fire under me)," Broxton said. "I definitely feel like I want to be out there, playing and helping the team. If I'm not doing it at that time, I have to respect what Counsell wants. At the end of the role, I know I have a role and that's to get better and help the team the best I can."

The Pirates kept coming, going back on top in the eighth. Reliever Anthony Swarzak, out of action a few days with a stiff neck, was greeted by a booming triple to right by Josh Bell. Swarzak struck out David Freese looking but Adam Frazier collected Pittsburgh’s sixth run-scoring single of the day to make it 6-5.

Piña delivered the final answer in the bottom of the inning with his two-run shot off righty Juan Nicasio, continuing a fine season that has been under the radar outside of Milwaukee. 

"It's a different story because he's an older player (30) but he's a rookie," Counsell said of Piña. "This is his first (full) year in the big leagues.

"He has been asked to do a lot, and has carried the load the last couple of weeks (with Stephen Vogt on the DL). He has continued to have a big impact."

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

» SS Orlando Arcia missed his second consecutive game after suffering back spasms. Counsell said Arcia tweaked his back taking swings in the cage Tuesday afternoon. With a scheduled day off Thursday, Arcia will get more rest before the Brewers open a weekend series in Colorado.

“He’s doing better,” Counsell said. “The back is still bugging him. I wouldn’t say for sure on Friday but I’m hopeful it’s Friday.”

» Beyond Arcia, Ryan Braun, Eric Thames and Jonathan Villar were out of the starting lineup. Despite having team days off Monday and Thursday, Counsell said it was a planned off day for Braun, who was 1 for 10 against Cole.

STAT SHEET

» The Brewers surpassed 2 million in home attendance on their 65th date at Miller Park this season. They have drawn at least 2 million for 14 consecutive seasons. The last time they finished below that mark was 2003 with 1.7 million and change.

» Aguilar, who started in place of Thames at first base, was in a 0-for-18 skid before singling ahead of Piña's decisive homer. 

TAKEAWAY

The Brewers have been reliant all year on home runs to score and that certainly didn't change on this day. When the home runs dried up in the weeks coming out of the all-star break, the entire team went into a slump. Now, the long ball is back. 

RECORD

This year: 63-59 (35-30 home; 28-29 away)

Last year: 52-70

ATTENDANCE

Wednesday: 32,439

2017 total: 2,017,115 (31,033 avg.)

Last year: 1,866,930 (28,722 avg.)

NEXT GAME

Friday: Brewers at Rockies, 7:40 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Matt Garza (6-6, 4.38) vs. Colorado RHP German Marquez (9-5, 4.13). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.