Aroldis Chapman was on the verge of stranding the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth, but former batter mate Gary Sánchez had other plans.
Sánchez, who pinch hit for leadoff hitter Sal Frelick, took an 0-2 pitch from Chapman (0-2) that was out of the zone and cleared the Clemente Wall in right field to flip the Milwaukee Brewers’ one-run deficit into a 6-5 lead.
The Pittsburgh Pirates ultimately fell 7-5 at PNC Park on Thursday afternoon as Milwaukee added an insurance run against Roansy Contreras in the ninth inning.
After Brewers catcher William Contreras put Milwukee ahead with a solo homer in the top of the first, Pirates backstop Joey Bart connected on a three-run home run to center field.
Bart’s home run was the first three-run homer of his career and his third in seven games since joining the Pirates (13-13).
The Pirates’ lead remained intact until the third inning. Mitch Keller walked the first two batters of the inning and both came around to score. Jake Bauers singled to right field to plate the first of the two runs and Rhys Hoksins followed with an RBI-base hit of his own.
Hoskins put the Brewers (16-8) back ahead in the fifth inning on a double to left field. It looked like Jack Suwinski made a run-saving catch on a diving effort, but the ball popped out of his glove upon impact with the ground.
While Suwinski just missed preventing a run, he came through in producing a run with two outs in the bottom of the frame. Suwinski doubled off of the Clemente wall and Bart came around to score from first base.
Jared Triolo followed Suwinski’s clutch double with a go-ahead single. Triolo’s base hit snapped an 0-for-9 skid and put the Pirates ahead 5-4.
The blow knocked out Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, who went 4.2 innings and allowed five runs on five hits while walking five and striking out – you guessed it — five.
Keller went five innings for the 37th-consecutive outing. He allowed four runs on six hits in five innings, walked two, hit a batter and struck out seven.
Bryan Reynolds had a pair of hits and threw out a runner at home plate from right field.
Entering play, the Pirates had a perfect 11-0 record on the season when scoring four or more runs in a game.
Up Next
The Pirates will head out west for the start of a six-game California road trip. It starts on Friday night against the San Francisco Giants. Quinn Priester (0-1, 8.31 ERA) will make his second start of the season. He’ll be opposed by left-hander Kyle Harrison (2-1, 5.00 ERA). First pitch: 10:15 ET.
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