MILWAUKEE – Avisaíl Garcia hit a two-run homer, Christian Yelich assisted with a sacrifice fly as a pinch hitter, and the Milwaukee Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 win Sunday.
Despite being outscored 10-5 in hits, Milwaukee won its 14th game of the last 16, including seven in a row at home.
The Pirates suffered their seventh straight loss after losing series in a row after losing at home to the Dodgers before traveling to Milwaukee.
Brent Suter (8-3) took the win after pulling the last out in the sixth inning. Brad Boxberger took over in the seventh, Devin Williams the eighth and Josh Hader struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for 17 saves in as many chances.
Will Crowe gave the Pirates’ battered rotation a boost by pitching five dominant innings, but the bullpen didn’t match his effort.
Crowe allowed a single to first-in-order Luis Urías and an RBI double by Daniel Vogelbach in the first inning, then retired the next 15 batters, striking out eight, the most in his career, before walking Tim Lopes to start the sixth inning.
Pittsburgh entered David Bednar (0-1) to protect the 2-1 lead and Urías greeted him with a one-run triple to tie the game 2-2. Garcia drove in for his 13th home run of the season with a hit that just barely cleared the right-field fence.
For the Pirates, Gregory Polanco 3-1; Eric González 1-0.
For the Brewers, Mexican Luis Urías 4-2 with two runs scored and one produced. Venezuelans Avisal Garcia 4-1 with one scored and two RBIs; Manny Pina 3-1 with a run scored. The Dominicans Willy Adames 3-0; Pablo Reyes 2-0.