Pirates Drop Wet Series Opener to Brewers

The Pirates loaded the bases to start the bottom of the first inning, as center fielder Oneil Cruz walked, Andrew McCutchen singled and then Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Civale hit right fielder Bryan Reynolds with a pitch.

Catcher Joey Bart grounded into a double play, scoring Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz struck out, ending a chance for the Pirates to cut further into the Brewers' lead.

The Brewers added onto their lead in the top of the second inning, as shortstop Joey Ortiz hit a solo home run off a four-seam fastball in the middle of the plate from Burrows.

Pittsburgh had another chance to score in the bottom of the third inning, as McCutchen walked with two outs and Reynolds doubled, moving McCutchen to third base, but Bart would strikeout.

Horwitz would hit his first home run for the Pirates, taking a cutter over the middle of the plate and hitting it 408 feet to center field into the Miller Lite Landing, cutting the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Pirates loaded the bases again with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Reynolds walked, Bart singled and Horwitz reached first base with a single, but third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes popped out.

Right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson made his season debut for the Pirates and would allow a solo home run to Yelich in the top of the sixth inning, making it 5-2 to the Brewers.

Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Cruz hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Kiner-Falefa scored to cut the Brewers' lead to 5-3.

Cruz made it to third base on a wild pitch and then McCutchen walked, putting runners on the corners.

The game then entered a rain delay, which lasted almost two hours before both teams came back out and played again.

Reynolds came up to bat and struck out, ending a great scoring opportunity for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki allowed back-to-back singles to right fielder Sal Frelick and third baseman Caleb Durbin, and then Ortiz laid down a bunt, moving both runners up to second base and third base with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

Bart came through for the Pirates, as Turang tried to lay down a bunt, but he caught it and then threw it to Kiner-Falefa, who tagged out Durbin at second base for a 2-6 double play.

Pirates right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart allowed a leadoff double to Chourio in the top of the eighth inning, got Contreras to ground out, intentionally walked Yelich and then got first baseman Rhys Hoskins to fly out.

Shugart then allowed a single to left fielder Isaac Collins, scoring Chourio and moving Yelich to third base. He then got a grounder from Frelick, but Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier didn't get his glove on it and it went by him into the outfield, scoring both Yelich and Collins to make it 8-3 to the Brewers.

Cruz and McCutchen walked to start the bottom of the the ninth inning and then Reynolds hit a double, scoring Cruz and cutting the deficit to 8-4.

Bart would strike out, Horwitz grounded out and scored McCutchen and then Hayes lined out to end the game. 

The Pirates and Brewers face off in the second game of the series on May 23, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m.