Pittsburgh stuns the Milwaukee Brewers, beating them in extras, 8-5

The Brew Crew were absolutely in control of this game until they weren’t. Adrian Houser was dealing. He did not give up a hit on the evening. The Brewers’ bats came through for the most part. Yet the Brewers bullpen failed them, and Pittsburgh beat Milwaukee 8-5.

The Brewers got things going in the first inning, With one out, Willy Adames hit a ground rule double. He would eventually score the first run of the game on an RBI single by Avisail Garcia.

Adames would be responsible for another run in the bottom of the third. Leading off the inning, the Brewers’ shortstop launched one into the stratosphere for his 19th home run of the season (14th as a Brewer).

Milwaukee would put one more on the board in the third. Omar Narvaez doubled, and he scored another RBI single by Avisail Garcia.

In the bottom of the fifth, Omar Narvaez got the ball rolling with a single to left. Eduardo Escobar grounded to second allowing Narvaez to scamper to second. He came around to score on a single by Rowdy Tellez, and it was 4-0.

Milwaukee was in absolute control at this point. Brewers’ starter, Adrian Houser was magnificent, taking a no-hitter through 6.1 IP. Somehow, he still gave up a run. As good as he was at keeping the Pirates from getting hits, he gave up plenty of free passes. He walked a total of 5 and one of those walks came around to score the first run of five in the seventh for Pittsburgh.

Houser’s walk went to Ben Gamel to lead off the inning. Brewers’ manager, Craig Counsel only left Houser in for one more hitter before replacing him. After Houser, Milwaukee used a number of relievers, but three in particular; Daniel Norris, John Curtiss, and Blane Hardy just did not get the job done tonight.

To replace Houser, Counsel decided to go lefty on lefty, and he brought in newly acquired Daniel Norris. Norris immediately gave up a single to Gregory Polanco. Kevin Newman followed with a double that plated Gamel and sent Polanco to third. Norris then walked Michael Perez to load the bases, and was lifted for the other newly acquired reliever, John Curtiss.

Polanco scored on a Willy Adames error off the bat of Bryan Reynolds that left the bases loaded. Hoy Park plated all three runners clogging the bases for Pittsburgh, with a double down the right field line by Hoy Park. Just like that, the Pirates had the lead, 5-4.

Milwaukee picked up a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. Not surprisingly, Willy Adames led the inning off with a single. Eventually Adames would score all the way from first base when Avisail Garcia hit a 2-out double into the left, centerfield gap.

Eduardo Escobar put a charge into a ball that was headed just over the right field wall that would have resulted in a walk off home run and win for Milwaukee. Instead the Pirates’ right fielder, Gregory Polanco, robbed Escobar and the Brewers.

Pittsburgh took that momentum into the top of the tenth. Ke’Bryan Hayes started the top of the tenth on second base. Blane Hardy took over the tenth from Devin Williams, who pitched a scoreless ninth. Going for the win, the Pirates had Ben Gamel lay down a sacrifice bunt that sent Hayes to third. Hayes would score on an infield single by Gregory Polanco.

Kevin Newman followed with a single of his own, and then Hardy walked the bases loaded. With two strikes on him, Bryan Reynolds punched a single into centerfield. The Reynolds’ single scored both Polanco and Newman and eventually result in the Pirates’ win.

These two teams battle one again tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 CT. Milwaukee will send Freddy Peralta to the mound to face off with Steven Brault. The game can be seen on Bally Sports Wisconsin and heard on WTMJ 620 as well as the Brewers Radio Network.