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Brewers knock out Liriano early, pound Pirates

Sep 5, 2013 - 4:06 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Khris Davis hit a two-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers knocked out Francisco Liriano early en route to a 9-3 victory in the finale of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Aramis Ramirez and Jeff Bianchi each knocked in two runs during the Brewers' 13-hit attack and Wily Peralta (9-14) allowed three runs on nine hits over six quality innings to collect the win and snap the club's five-game slide.

Marlon Byrd went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Andrew McCutchen added a solo homer for Pittsburgh, which was trying for its first three-game sweep in Milwaukee since 2004.

The Pirates still sit atop the NL Central, but their one-game lead over the Cardinals will be tested when they visit St. Louis for three games this weekend.

Liriano (15-7) was pulled after the Brewers batted around in a five-run third inning.

Jonathan Lucroy's run-scoring, ground-rule double broke a 2-2 tie, and Ramirez followed with a double to the left-field gap that brought in two more.

Liriano got Bianchi on a comebacker to the mound but dropped the potential inning-ending double-play ball and could only get the out at first. Ramirez scored on the play, and Yuniesky Betancourt later raced home on a wild pitch to give Milwaukee a 7-2 cushion.

All told, Liriano was charged with seven runs on seven hits and two walks.

McCutchen took Peralta deep to start the fifth, but any momentum Pittsburgh had ceased when Justin Morneau was thrown out at home later in the inning.

The Pirates left the bases loaded for the second time in the seventh, and the Brewers tacked on two insurance runs in their half on Bianchi's sacrifice fly and Martin Maldonado's two-out RBI single.

Jordy Mercer singled in a run in the second inning, but the Pirates stranded three runners that frame and found themselves down after Davis crushed a two- run homer to deep left-center in the bottom half.

Byrd tied things in the third with an RBI single.

Game Notes

Davis has nine home runs in 48 games ... Norichika Aoki had three hits for the Brewers ... Pirates closer Jason Grilli threw a scoreless eighth inning. He had not pitched since straining his right forearm on July 22 ... Liriano is the first Pirates pitcher since Larry French in 1930 to record a decision in each of his first 22 starts of a season. French did so in 24 straight outings ... The Pirates won the season series, 12-7.