The Brewers kept their Wild Card hopes alive for one more night with a 1-0 victory over the Pirates in front of a packed house at PNC Park on Saturday night.
Pirates starter Edinson Volquez threw seven scoreless innings while allowing three hits and three walks. The Brewers had four men in scoring position, but Volquez buckled down to get inning-ending strikeouts in three of the instances. It was a solid outcome for the right-hander after having a high pitch count early.
Brewers starter Matt Garza was just as effective — holding the Pirates to 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position — until being ejected in the fifth. The Milwaukee right-hander pitched inside to Andrew McCutchen in the third and hit him on the backside. Garza immediately showed displease with his pitch.
After a warning was given in the fourth when Volquez went up and in on Ryan Braun, Garza again threw a 1-2 pitch inside to McCutchen and hit him on the arm. Home plate umpire Marty Foster immediately ejected Garza angering the starter.
Garza had only hit two batters in 158 innings prior to tonight.
“If people think I hit McCutchen on purpose, with a 1-2 count in a game like this, then you’re just an idiot,” said Garza. “That goes for the Pirates TV crew that kept insinuating that that’s what we were doing, then you’re an idiot. Pitching inside to a guy like McCutchen, you have to do it. He’s got enough power to take the ball out and just leave it out over. It is what it is and it slipped in there, and it hit him. Oh well, sorry.”
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle thought it was the correct move given the situation.
“Absolutely, it was the right call. There’s no doubt,” said Hurdle. “If he doesn’t get tossed, then I do.”
McCutchen — who had his arm wrapped and iced after the game — commented on the bean balls.
“The intent was to get the fastball off the plate and in. That was the intent,” said McCutchen. “As far as hitting me, I’m not too sure, but they know better than to throw me a fastball on the plate and in.”
The Pirates (83-71) were unable to get anything done against the Brewers bullpen going 0-for-4 with men in scoring position over the final four innings.
The Brewers (80-75) scratched out the games only run against Mark Melancon (L, 3-5) in the ninth. After loading the bases with one out, pinch-hitter Logan Schafer hit a sacrifice fly to right. Starling Marte was unable to get a good throw home allowing the run to score.
Final Score: Brewers 1, Pirates 0.
The Brewers cut the Pirates Wild Card lead to 3 1/2 with the rubber match of the series tomorrow afternoon.
“I just want to be ready to go tomorrow and let’s not try to make this a close game,” said McCutchen. “Let’s just try to blow this out of the water and show up,”
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Vance Worley (PIT): 7-4, 3.18 ERA
(RHP) Wily Peralta (MIL): 16-10, 3.70 ERA
First pitch is set for 1:35.
Follow @TBerardi_PSN
(Photo Credit: Brian Kersey/Getty Images)
