Field Level Media
Jun 19, 2018
Milwaukee rookie right-hander Freddy Peralta continued the strong start to his career with six shutout innings and Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run homer and an RBI double Tuesday as the Brewers edged the host Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.
The Brewers had lost three straight, while Pittsburgh had won four of five.
Peralta (2-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs to make his third big league start, allowed two hits, both singles, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Over his three starts, the first two in May, Peralta, 22, has 25 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.
Relievers Dan Jennings and Jeremy Jeffress each gave up a run, and closer Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon (4-6) gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings, with seven strikeouts and one walk. Over his previous four starts, he was 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA while pitching into the seventh three times.
Milwaukee's Lorenzo Cain led off the game with an infield hit and, one out later, scored on Aguilar's 14th homer, to right-center, for a 2-0 lead.
The Brewers upped it to 3-0 in the third. Cain got another infield hit and scored on Aguilar's double.
The Pirates got both of their hits off Peralta in the fourth. Corey Dickerson led off with a single to left. An out later, Colin Moran hit a broken-bat single. Peralta got out of it, getting Francisco Cervelli to fly out and striking out Josh Bell.
The only other baserunner against Peralta was Starling Marte, who reached on right fielder Eric Thames' two-run error with two outs in the first.
Against Jennings in the seventh, Bell drew a two-out walk. Gregory Polanco moved Bell to third with a base hit, chasing Jennings. Jordy Mercer greeted Jeffress with a double to left-center to drive in Bell to make it 3-1.
Marte hit his ninth homer, a two-run shot to right-center off Jeffress, to pull the Pirates to within 3-2 in the eighth.
--Field Level Media