Brewers 3, Pirates 2: Freddy Peralta's return to big leagues nearly as good as his debut

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

PITTSBURGH – Freddy Peralta’s second “debut” was nearly as impressive as his first.

Called up from the minors for the second time this season, Peralta handcuffed the Pittsburgh Pirates for six innings Tuesday night as the Milwaukee Brewers stopped a three-game slide with a 3-2 victory at PNC Park.

Peralta allowed only two hits, both singles, over his six shutout innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts. His third outing in the majors was not quite as dominant as his debut on Mother’s Day in Colorado, when he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and recorded 13 strikeouts, most ever for a Brewers pitcher in his first outing.

Jesús Aguilar, who did not start in the 1-0 loss in the series opener, drove in all three runs for the Brewers, beginning with a two-run homer in the first inning off Jameson Taillon. Lorenzo Cain led off with an infield hit and was on base when Aguilar sent an opposite-field drive to right-center on a 3-2 fastball for his 14th homer.

Cain reached on another infield hit to open the third inning and Aguilar struck again with one out. He pulled a double into the left-field corner, and Cain romped all the way around the bases, sliding in easily ahead of the throw to make it 3-0.

Meanwhile, the Pirates were getting their first look at Peralta and not liking it. They didn’t get a hit until Corey Dickerson won an eight-pitch battle leading off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left.

BOX SCORE: Brewers 3, Pirates 2

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After Starling Marte flied out to deep right, Colin Moran foiled the Brewers’ infield shift with a tapper to the left side for a hit. Peralta then fell behind, 3-0, to Francisco Cervelli, who swung away and flied out to center.

Peralta then struck out Josh Bell and went on to retire the last eight hitters he faced before departing.

The Pirates finally put a run on the board in the seventh and it began with left-hander Dan Jennings walking Bell with two outs. After a single by Gregory Polanco, Jeremy Jeffress took over and surrendered an RBI double to Jordy Mercer.

With runners on second and third, Jeffress struck out pinch-hitter Austin Meadows to keep it a 3-1 game. The lead dropped to one run in the eighth when Jeffress surrendered a two-out homer to Marte.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

SHAW’S WRIST A BIT BETTER: Third baseman Travis Shaw’s strained right wrist was a bit better but not enough to play, so he missed his second consecutive game. Shaw said an X-ray taken Sunday in Milwaukee confirmed no structural damage, so it’s a matter of waiting until it feels good enough to play. Shaw said he hoped to play Wednesday in the series finale, but Counsell said, “The goal is to not have this be a nagging injury. It is hard with a wrist. That’s why we’re trying to keep it from being something nagging, as best we can. We’re going day by day.”

GOOD REASON TO PLAY PEREZ: Shaw’s absence allowed Counsell to give Hernán Pérez a second start at third base. Counsell would have found a place somewhere for Pérez to play because he was 6 for 15 (.400) for his career against Taillon with three home runs – the most by any opponent against Pittsburgh’s starter. But Pérez went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against Taillon.

BALL ALWAYS FINDS YOU: To get Eric Thames’ bat in the lineup, Counsell started him in right field in place of Domingo Santana, who has been in a season-long slump. It was the first start there for Thames this season (he made three starts in right last year) and it didn’t take long for the ball to find him. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Marte sent a drive to right-center that Thames muffed for a two-base error. It did not lead to a run, however.

FIRST THREE-BAGGER FOR PIÑA: Brewers catcher Manny Piña recorded the first triple of his big-league career with a one-out drive in the second inning that caromed off the outstretched arm of Marte in deep center. Piña was stranded when slump-ridden Orlando Arcia struck out on three pitches and Peralta also whiffed.

DAVIES MAKES FIRST REHAB START: Right-hander Zach Davies made the first of what is expected to be at least three minor-league rehab starts for Class AAA Colorado Springs. He threw 22 of 31 pitches for strikes and went 1 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, two runs and a walk with two strikeouts. Davies is on the disabled list for the second time with rotator cuff inflammation.

RECORD

This year: 43-30

Last year: 38-35

COMING UP

Wednesday: Brewers at Pirates, 6:05 p.m. Milwaukee LHP Brent Suter (7-4, 4.30) vs. Pittsburgh RHP Chad Kuhl (5-4, 3.76). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.