Pittsburgh Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers Match Player Stats On Jun 19, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 19, 2017

MILWAUKEE -- Gerrit Cole held an opponent to one run in seven innings for a second straight start and Andrew McCutchen hit his 13th home run of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates knocked off the first-place Milwaukee Brewers 8-1 on Monday night at Miller Park.

McCutchen's two-run homer in the sixth inning highlighted a two-hit day and provided some breathing room in a one-run game. He drove in an insurance run in the seventh as the Pirates broke things open with four runs against struggling reliever Wily Peralta.

Cole (5-6) picked up where he left off last Tuesday against Colorado, striking out five while scattering three hits and two walks in his fifth seven-inning effort of the season.

Milwaukee's Matt Garza (3-3) was starting for the second time since a brief stint on the disabled list for whiplash-like symptoms and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Garza worked with an early lead thanks to a Travis Shaw leadoff home run in the second inning, his 13th homer of the season, extending Milwaukee's streak of consecutive runs scored on home runs to 16, a franchise record.

But Garza, who was perfect through his first two innings, opened the third with a walk to Francisco Cervelli and a Jody Mercer single. Cole advanced them both with a sac bunt and Adam Fraizer sent them home with a single to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead.

The Pirates went on to load the bases against Garza, who finally got out of the jam on Josh Bell's grounder to second.

Garza blanked Pittsburgh in the fourth and fifth innings before he was chased in the sixth after McCutchen's home run made it 4-1.

Peralta got Garza out of the inning without further damage but allowed a leadoff single to Cole and a walk to Fraizer to open the seventh. Josh Harrison doubled to drive in Cole and make it 5-1.

The Pirates added two more runs when Gregory Polanco singled to left.

Josh Bell struck out for the first out of the inning, but McCutchen drove in another with a single before Paulo Espino took over and ended the inning with a double play.

NOTES: The Pirates have won seven of their last eight games in Milwaukee but are still just 37-82 at Miller Park dating to the 2003 season. ... Milwaukee released RHP Neftali Feliz, who was designated for assignment last Wednesday after going 1-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 29 appearances. ... Milwaukee's last 16 runs have come via home runs, setting a franchise record. ... Pirates OF Andrew McCutchen had two hits, extending his hitting streak at Miller Park to nine games. He has hit 29 home runs against the Brewers since arriving in the majors in 2009.