PITTSBURGH — The Milwaukee Brewers insist they don’t suffer from some kind of Josh Hader hangover.
But sure looks like it.
Bryan Reynolds raced home on a wild field with an out in the 10th inning and led the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-4 win on Thursday to cap a three-game win over Milwaukee.
Reynolds led at the bottom of 10th by connecting the play with a ground rules double to right field that rookie Tucupita Maracano scored. Reynolds advanced to third with a flyball to the right of Ke’Bryan Hayes and scored when a 0-2 curveball by Milwaukee-Relief Matt Bush (2-2) was leapfrogged by catcher Victor Caratini.
“I’m trying to bury it, but obviously not that much,” Bush said. “I just missed it a bit.”
The Brewers fell to 3-0 since bringing Hader, their four-time All-Star closer, on Monday against San Diego. Milwaukee failed to hold on to multiple leads in all three games at PNC Park, though starter Brandon Woodruff downplayed the idea that Hader’s departure played a role in being swept at PNC Park for the first time in two years.
“When you come out on the baseball field, no matter who’s in this room, that’s our team and we have a hell of a team,” Woodruff said. “We’re here for each other, we’re going to play for each other, and there’s nothing we can do (who’s in the room and who’s not) except go out and do our job.”
Milwaukee took the lead at the top of 10th when Duane Underwood Jr. (1-3) hit Kolten Wong with loaded bases and two outs.
Left fielder Ben Gamel then grabbed a sinking liner from Hunter Renfroe to avoid further damage, and the Pirates responded late in the inning behind Reynolds, who hit a walk-off home run that led by the end of the ninth in 8-7 -Win on Wednesday.
“It says a lot about this team and how close we really are (to be competitors),” said Pittsburgh first baseman Michael Chavis. “We have some influential players. They catch us on the right day and things will work out somehow.”
Reynolds, Gamel, Maracano and catcher Jason Delay each had two hits for Pittsburgh. The win sparked a six-game losing streak in the Pirates’ extra-inning contests. Pittsburgh have won three straight games after a seven-game slip that briefly dropped the club to last place in the NL Central.
“I don’t think we’ve beaten them since I’ve been up,” said Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who made his major league debut in September 2020. “We are on the right path.”
Pittsburgh trailed 3-1 in the seventh but even trailed behind RBI singles from Maracano and Gamel, most recently against reliever Brad Boxberger, who allowed Delay to score after Boxberger hit two ones and in the seventh came to an end. Although the run was not billed to Boxberger, it symbolized how Milwaukee’s bullpen struggled throughout the series. The Brewers assists were hit with nine runs over the course of three games.
Mike Brousseau hit a two-run home run for Milwaukee and Caratini added his seventh, but the Pirates also hit two runs on wild courses, including the winner.
The Brewers played the last 3 1/2 innings without star Christian Yelich and manager Craig Counsell. Both were thrown out at the bottom of the seventh throw for arguing balls and bats with home plate umpire Jerry Meals after Yelich struck to end the inning’s top.
HAYES saves the day
The Brewers loaded bases with an out in the ninth, but Hayes ended the threat by spinning a backhand jab at a sharp grounder by pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor. Hayes got up, touched the third and then fired a shot at the first, which beat Taylor by a step.
Hayes said he shuffled to the third baseline in front of the field, expecting Taylor to pull the ball. When Taylor ripped one down the line, Hayes was right there.
“I could reach it and then get a glove on it,” Hayes said. “It was kind of between the lip (of the grass) and the dirt. Luckily I didn’t notice it too much. I was able to knock it down and make the game.
TRAINING ROOM
Brewers: Places C Omar Narváez on 10-day injured list with a left quadriceps strain. Narváez pinched muscle while rounding third base after a Willy Adames hit on Wednesday. Recalled C Mario Feliciano from Triple-A Nashville to fill in during Narváez’s absence.
Pirates: Places C. Tyler Heineman (right groin strain) on 10-day injured list and LHP Dillon Peters (left elbow infection) on 15-day injured list. Called C Taylor Davis and LHP Eric Stout from Triple-A Indianapolis.
NEXT
Brewers: Start a five-game homestand Friday night when they open a three-game set against Cincinnati. Eric Lauer (7-3, 3.75 ERA) meets Robert Dugger (0-0, 4.50) in the opener.
Pirates: Embark on a 10-day three-city road trip on Friday when they visit Baltimore.
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