Pirates 2 - 3 Brewers
Final
  for this game

Brewers edge Pirates on Hart's 9th-inning blast

Sep 2, 2012 - 3:57 AM

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Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Brewers had quiet bats throughout much of the night, but Corey Hart ended the game with a bang.

Hart's game-winning home run in the ninth inning sent the Brewers to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and gave Milwaukee the first two games of the three-game set.

The first baseman crushed the second pitch from Joel Hanrahan (4-1) over the left-field fence to give the Brewers their 13th win in their last 15 games at Miller Park.

"I was hanging breaking balls," Hanrahan said. "Poorly executed. The guys battled their butts off and I come in and throw two pitches and the game's over."

Pedro Alvarez blasted a towering home run to left field, his 27th of the season, to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

For much of the night, the Brewers struggled at the plate. They were able to tie the game before they picked up a hit, though.

Carlos Gomez drew a leadoff walk in the third inning, stole second and third and scored on A.J. Burnett's wild pitch.

Rickie Weeks got the first hit off Burnett with two outs in the sixth inning, but was stranded at second after he stole the base.

Milwaukee was able to score in the seventh inning. Hart drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on Milwaukee's second hit of the game -- a line-drive double to left field by Gomez.

"Gomez's speed and the big base hit, which drove in the go-ahead run, were major factors in our offense," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

Milwaukee was victimized by its bullpen, though, which blew its 26th save of the season in the eighth inning. Brock Holt worked a leadoff walk off Jim Henderson and moved to second on a bunt. After Travis Snider struck out, Andrew McCutchen dropped a broken-bat single into center field to tie the game at two.

Norichika Aoki reached second base with no outs in the bottom half of the eighth, but the Brewers were unable to score him.

After Rod Barajas delivered a two-out hit in the top of the ninth, John Axford (5-7) walked the bases loaded. The right-hander came back to strike out Alex Presley to escape the jam.

Game Notes

Burnett gave up two runs on two hits in 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and four walks ... Marco Estrada received a no-decision after allowing one run on four hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts in seven innings ... Estrada struck out 10 for the third time in his career ... The Brewers are 10-1-2 over their last 13 series at Miller Park ... Estrada has allowed one earned run in 18 innings over his last three starts ... Pittsburgh went 2-for-9 and Milwaukee was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.






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