A Series of Unfortunate Errors in the Seventh Inning Results in Brewers Loss to Pirates 6-4

WP: Kevin Correia (6-6)
LP: Kameron Loe (4-3)
SV: Joel Hanrahan (24)

HR: Andrew McCutchen (20), Casey McGehee (7)

MVP: Corey Hart (+.205)
LVP: Kameron Loe (-.339)

Win Expectancy Graph, Star of the Game Voting, and Box Score

The Brewers got on the board first tonight in the second inning thanks to a Corey Hart RBI triple and a Rickie Weeks RBI groundout. That put them up 2-0. The Pirates tied it up in the next inning with a two run home run from Andrew McCutchen. The Brewers got back on top in the bottom of the third inning with an error by Pedro Alvarez and a sacrifice fly from Corey Hart.

Marco Estrada didn't have his greatest game but gave the Brewers what they needed at the time. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk. He also struck out eleven in the game.

Unfortunately, the bullpen then came into play. Kameron Loe pitched the end of the sixth inning and then came back out for the seventh. He allowed a single to Clint Barmes to start the inning, who advanced to second on a throwing error from Ryan Braun. Then, Josh Harrison put down a sacrifice bunt to get Barmes to third, but a throwing error by Loe now only allowed Harrison to reach base, but Barmes to score and tie the game at 4-4. Loe then struck out Drew Sutton, but followed it with a single to Neil Walker that got Harrison to third base. Next up was McCutchen, who drew a four-pitch walk. On the fourth pitch, Martin Maldonado missed the ball and it deflected off his glove to the backstop, allowing Harrison to score and give the Pirates the lead at 5-4. Manny Parra came in and shut the Pirates down for the rest of the inning, but it was too late at that point.

Tyler Thornburg made his bullpen debut in the eighth inning and immediately allowed a home run to Casey McGehee to make it 6-4. He was a little shaky after that but kept the Pirates off the board, throwing a total of two innings and only allowing the one run of the McGehee home run. He also allowed two walks, but had three strikeouts.

The Brewers did have a chance to tie it or take the lead in the last three innings but couldn't get any more runs across. They left runners on first and third in the seventh and first and second in the eighth. Nyjer Morgan got to second base in the ninth, but Travis Ishikawa struck out to end the game.

The Brewers still have a chance to take the series tomorrow afternoon. It will be A.J. Burnett vs. Yovani Gallardo. First pitch is at 1:10 pm.