Field Level Media
Sep 21, 2019
Keston Hiura's two-run home run propelled the host Milwaukee Brewers to a 10-1 win over the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.
Hiura's 18th home run of the season came with two outs in the bottom of the first, on a 3-2 pitch with Yasmani Grandal on base. The Brewers went ahead 2-1 and scored eight more unanswered runs to cruise to their seventh win in eight games.
Brewers co-minor league player of the year Trent Grisham drove in three runs, two on a home run just over the left field wall in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lorenzo Cain went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Ryan Braun added a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth.
Grisham and Mike Moustakas drew bases-loaded walks after Cain's RBI single in the fourth.
The Brewers (85-70) continued their end-of-regular-season surge with their 14th win in the past 16 games, and are 16-4 in September. Playing without star Christian Yelich, who is out for the season with a knee injury, Milwaukee is 9-2 since he got injured.
The Brewers moved three games ahead of the Chicago Cubs, their closest competition for the second National League wild-card spot. They ended their night one game out of the top wild card, held by the Washington Nationals.
The Pirates (65-90) lost catcher Elias Diaz to a right knee injury in the bottom of the fourth inning. It happened as he reached down to catch a pitch from Pirates starter James Marvel. Diaz was helped off the field as the Brewers made a pitching change.
Adam Frazier scored on Hiura's error in the top of the first for the Pirates' lone run.
Zach Davies got the start for Milwaukee but pitched just four innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits with two strikeouts. Brent Suter (3-0) tossed two scoreless innings for the win.
Marvel (0-3) was charged with five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. The Pirates lost their eighth straight game, the longest current losing streak in the majors.
--Field Level Media