Brewers 8 - 1 Pirates
Final
  for this game

Brewers keep rolling, take first game from Pirates

Aug 23, 2011 - 12:34 AM

Video

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Chris Narveson returned from the disabled list with a vengeance, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings and adding a two-run single in the Brewers' 8-1 win over the Pirates.

Narveson (9-6) allowed five hits and fanned three, but left the opener of this doubleheader with an injury to the middle finger of his throwing hand.

Ryan Braun belted a two-run homer and Jonathan Lucroy drove in a pair for the Brewers, who have won 23 of their last 26 games.

Jeff Karstens (9-7) was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs on six hits over seven frames.

Ryan Ludwick hit a home run for the Pirates, losers of four of their last five.

Narveson, who returned from the 15-day disabled list to start the opener of this four-game series, helped himself in the fourth.

Yuniesky Betancourt ripped a two-out single to get things started and George Kattaras followed with a ground-rule double to place runners on second and third. Karstens intentionally walked Craig Counsell to load the bases and Narveson delivered, ripping a 1-2 curveball into right to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.

In the eighth, Milwaukee added insurance with another two-out spurt. Pinch- hitter Corey Hart singled and scored on a Betancourt double. Tony Watson intentionally walked Casey McGehee before Counsell's base hit scored Betancourt. Lucroy's double plated McGehee and Counsell, giving the Brewers a 6-0 cushion.

The Pirates had their chances. They wasted a one-out triple by Josh Harrison in the first and a Jose Tabata leadoff double in the third. Andrew McCutchen flew out following consecutive two-out singles from Tabata and Harrison in the fifth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Narveson was visited by head trainer Roger Caplinger after throwing a 1-0 fastball to Steve Pearce. He left the game and was relieved by Kameron Loe, who allowed a two-out double to Ronny Cedeno before inducing pinch-hitter Garrett Jones into an inning-ending fly out.

Ludwick, who was acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline, ripped one- out homer in the bottom of the eighth.

A half-inning later, Braun followed a Jerry Hairston walk with a home run to right, sealing the final margin.

Game Notes

The Brewers are 9-0 against the Pirates this season...Narveson landed on the DL earlier this month after accidentally slicing his left thumb with a pair of scissors while repairing his glove...Ludwick's home run was his first as a Pirate...Harrison's triple was the first of his career... Prior to the game, the Pirates placed pitcher Kevin Correia on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique, retroactive to August 20. To fill the roster spot, the Pirates recalled pitcher Chris Leroux from Triple-A Indianapolis and activated him from the 15-day disabled list.






Related News