Pirates score runs, beat Brewers 6-3

Thank goodness Milwaukee is still in the league.  The Pirates stopped their two-game winless and scoreless streak by dropping the struggling Brewers, 6-3.  The win ran their record to 3-1 against the 2-7 Brewers, compared to 1-5 against everyone else.

The Brewers got on the board in the 2nd after Vance Worley walked Adam Lind to start the inning.  A one-out book rule double and a grounder brought in the run.

In the bottom of the 4th, the Pirates scored a run.  That's where a player without a glove comes from the direction of third base and steps on home plate.  Francisco Cervelli got hit by a pitch leading off.  Gregory Polanco, who went 3-4 out of the #3 spot, singled Cervelli to third.  Andrew McCutchen grounded out into the hole at short, bringing in the run.  In a nice bit of baserunning, Polanco, who'd been running on the play, continued on to third.  Unfortunately, Pedro Alvarez hit a liner at Aramis Ramirez that turned into a double play.

Then in the 5th, the Pirates scored . . . two runs!!  Starling Marte led off with an infield hit, stole second and took third on a grounder.  Sean Rodriguez, giving Neil Walker a two-day rest, singled to drive in Marte.  Rodriguez stole second as Worley struck out trying to bunt, then scored on a single by Harrison.

Worley seemed to tire with two out in the 6th, giving up a run on a single and a double.  He got through the inning, though, and finished with six hits and four walks allowed, two of the latter intentional.  He fanned six.

Jared Hughes and Tony Watson retired six straight in the next two innings with the help of nice defensive work by Harrison and Jordy Mercer.  The Bucs then put up three in the 8th against serial Pirate patsy Jonathan Broxton.  An Alvarez single plated Polanco, who'd singled, stolen second and gone to third on a wild throw by Jonathan Lucroy.  (The Pirates stole three bases on Lucroy and the only caught stealing came when Harrison ran on a pitchout.)  Marte followed with his second HR, well into the seats in left.

Antonio Bastardo, who's looking pretty shaky so far, gave up a run in the 9th, necessitating the appearance of Mark Melancon.  He got the ultra-cheap save with one, 88-mph cutter.

Oh, and in maybe the biggest news of the day, the Pirates drew a walk for the first time in five games.  Heck, they drew two walks.  They couldn't help the first one, an intentional pass to Alvarez with the count already 3-1.  The second one, though, was a real walk drawn by Andrew Lambo, who obviously hasn't gotten with the program.