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Brewers get past Pirates to avoid sweep

Aug 25, 2014 - 12:01 AM Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Fiers worked seven solid innings, while four different players drove in a run to pace Milwaukee's narrow 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game series.

Fiers (4-1) allowed only one other hit besides a two-run homer from Starling Marte over his outing, issuing one walk and striking out seven. Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 39th save despite allowing a run in the ninth.

Jonathan Lucroy, Aramis Ramirez, Scooter Gennett and Mark Reynolds posted an RBI each for the Brewers, who avoided a sweep and ended a three-game slide.

"I think we've dealt with adversity well this season," said Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun. "It is such a long year that inevitably you are going to deal with ups and downs as a team."

Milwaukee opened up a 1 1/2-game lead in the NL Central over St. Louis, which lost its series finale at Philadelphia earlier Sunday.

Vance Worley (5-4) worked 6 1/3 frames in defeat, charged with 12 hits and four runs despite fanning five for the Pirates, who saw their three-game win streak halted.

Fiers retired the side in order to close out his performance, then Jeremy Jeffress left a runner on first in a scoreless eighth.

Andrew McCutchen hit a one-out solo homer in the ninth to cap a 10-pitch at- bat against Rodriguez that pulled the Bucs within 4-3.

"I feel good enough to hit a homer in the ninth against a closer, so ... I guess that's your answer," McCutchen said when asked about his first week back from a broken rib.

After Neil Walker grounded out, Russell Martin walked. Pedro Alvarez then fanned swinging to end the contest.

The Brewers picked up two runs in the bottom of the first courtesy of back-to- back RBI singles from Gennett and Reynolds.

Marte's two-run shot in the second evened the contest, but the hosts reclaimed a two-run edge in the home half on run-scoring hits by Lucroy and Ramirez.

Fiers also turned away the Pirates in order in the first, third, fifth and sixth frames.

Game Notes

Jeffress lowered his ERA to 0.66 with the Brewers this season ... Milwaukee kicks off a nine-game road swing in San Diego on Monday, and Pittsburgh hosts St. Louis to begin a six-game residency Monday.