Home runs and strong pitching carry Brewers to 5-2 win over Pirates

Box Score

The Brewers managed just three hits on Tuesday night, but two were home runs, making it enough offense to notch a 5-2 win over the Pirates.

Milwaukee got on the board first with a four-run second inning. Andrew McCutchen led off the frame with a walk, and Rowdy Tellez followed with a laser beam to the right-field bleachers that put the Brewers up 2-0.

The home run, Tellez’s second of the season, left the bat at 114 mph and traveled 424 feet.

With two outs in the inning, Lorenzo Cain reached on a routine ground ball to shortstop thanks to a throwing error by Kevin Newman. Victor Caritini drew a walk, putting two runners on base for leadoff man Kolten Wong. The second baseman snuck a broken-bat blooper down the right-field line to drive both of them in and make it a 4-0 game.

That was enough run support for Corbin Burnes, who was in cruise control for much of the game. The right-hander allowed no runs and just two hits through the first five innings while striking out eight.

Former Brewer Daniel Vogelbach put Pittsburgh on the board in the sixth inning with a home run to center, and Josh VanMeter added a solo shot of his own in the seventh. However, Burnes finished the inning without any further damage to cap off an excellent outing. His final line was seven innings pitched with two runs allowed on four hits. He struck out 10 and walked none.

Hunter Renfroe added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh with his first home run as a Brewer. The right fielder demolished a hanging breaking ball into the left-field seats to make the score 5-2.

Devin Williams was first out of the bullpen and worked a clean eighth inning. While his velocity was still down a tick and he allowed two hard-hit ground balls, he demonstrated significantly improved command after a pair of rough outings.

Josh Hader locked things down with a perfect ninth inning that featured some help from Wong, who ranged to his right to snag a ground ball up the middle and made a perfect jump throw to Tellez at first for the out.

The win improves the Brewers to 7-5 on the season and puts them half a game behind the Cardinals for first place in the National League Central.

Tomorrow is the final game of the series and is a getaway day for the Brewers before they travel to Philadelphia. First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. CDT. Brandon Woodruff, who looked much more like himself in his last start following a rough season debut, gets the ball opposite Mitch Keller.