Pirates 5, Brewers 2: Offense takes the day off

Win: Charlie Morton (7-3)
Loss: Tyler Thornburg (1-1)
Save: Mark Melancon (10)

HR: Neil Walker (10)

MVP: Tyler Thornburg (.107 WPA)
LVP: Jonathan Lucroy (-.223 WPA)

Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Boxscore

Tyler Thornburg pitched well for six innings Monday afternoon, but the Brewers offense wasn't able to keep pace with the Pirates after Thornburg left the game as they fell to the Pirates 5-2.

The Brewers struck first in the bottom of the second inning.  With two outs, Juan Francisco looped a ball down the left field line for a double.  Logan Schafer followed Francisco with a groundball up the middle that deflected off the glove of a diving Neil Walker and rolled into center field to allow Francisco to score the first run of the game.

It didn't take long for the Pirates to answer as they scored in the top of the third inning.  Clint Barmes started the inning with a single and was sacrificed over to second by pitcher Charlie Morton.  Jose Tabata followed Morton with a single to left field that scored Barmes standing up to tie the game.

Barmes and Tabata combined again to produce the Pirates' second run of the game in the fifth inning.  Barmes doubled to start off the inning and was again sacrificed over by Morton.  With Barmes in scoring position again, Tabata singled to left to give the Pirates their first lead of the game.

The Pirates were unable to score in the sixth inning, which ended up being Tyler Thornburg's final inning.  Thornburg looked good again today for the Brewers, giving up only two runs in six innings pitched.  In his four starts this season, Thornburg has given up only three runs in 24 innings pitched.

With Thornburg out of the game, the Brewers turned to Tom Gorzelanny.  Gorzelanny gave up a single on only two pitches and then left the game with left shoulder tightness.  Alfredo Figaro came in for the Brewers and immediately got himself into trouble.  After giving up a single to Tabata, Walker jumped on a fastball and deposited it over the wall in right-center field to give the Pirates a four run lead.

On a play straight out of little league, the Brewers were able to score a run in the seventh, but it would be the only run they would manage the rest of the game.  After a Segura single to left field moved Aoki up to second base, Tabata threw the ball to third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who let the ball get by him and into the Pirates dugout.  This advanced both base runners two bases and allowed Aoki to score.

The only bit of excitement in the final two innings came in Michael Blazek's Brewer debut.  Blazek took the mound in the eighth inning and took the Pirates down in order.

The Brewers and Pirates will be back in action again Tuesday night.  In the second game of a three game series, Yovani Gallardo will take the mound and attempt to keep up the success he has found since his return from the disabled list.  The Pirates will send rookie Gerrit Cole to the mound.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.