Consider the Pittsburgh Pirates (6-6) just the latest victims of the red-hot, NL Central division-leading Milwaukee Brewers (10-2). Milwaukee completed a third consecutive series sweep, sending the Pirates packing with a 4-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
Kyle Lohse (2-1) was outstanding, coming within an out of a complete game, allowing one run on four hits, no walks and nine strikeouts. He allowed a two-out single to Andrew McCutchen in the ninth before being lifted for reliever Will Smith, who earned his first save of the season.
Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton (0-1) pitched seven strong innings, allowing four runs (only two earned) on six hits. He and the Pirates were hurt by a Tony Sanchez error that cost two runs, stretching a 2-1 lead to a 4-1 advantage for the home team. Sanchez failed to catch strike three when Scooter Gennett went down swinging with two runners in scoring position in the sixth inning. When the ball bounced away and Gennett ran down the baseline, Sanchez chucked the ball into right field, allowing the two runners to score.
The Pirates offense was never close to helping to earn those runs back, going rather quietly the rest of the way. Four different Pirates had a hit and all were singles. The only run scored by Starling Marte on a McCutchen sacrifice fly in the fourth, which briefly tied the game before Milwaukee got it right back later in the inning.
Milwaukee has won nine straight and has a comfortable early lead in the division. The Pirates, after starting 6-3, are now back to .500 through two weeks and head to Cincinnati to begin a three-game series with the struggling Reds (4-8). Wandy Rodriguez (0-2) will face Homer Bailey (0-1) with first pitch coming at 7:10 pm.
