Pirates Sweep the Doubleheader
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| PIT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 7 | 0 |
The Pirates finished off a doubleheader sweep of the Brewers with a 3-2 win in the second game, and they are two over .500 at 49-47. Two wins in one day over the team running away with the division is about as good as it gets right now.
Esmerlyn Valdez stayed hot. Hours removed from his two-homer, six-RBI game in the opener, he put the Pirates ahead in the fourth with a two-run homer off Drohan that scored Bryan Reynolds, making it 2-0.
Bubba Chandler pitched well in the start. He struck out six and gave up two runs into the fifth, the runs coming on a Brice Turang two-run double that tied it 2-2. Brandon Eisert came on to get the last out of the inning.
The Pirates got the lead right back in the sixth. Brandon Lowe came around to score on a Reynolds single, and it was 3-2.
From there the bullpen took over and did not give anything back. Ramírez, Santana, Mattson, and Mason Montgomery combined for four scoreless innings, with Montgomery working around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his first save. Milwaukee left 11 men on base and could not get the hit to tie it.
Sweeping a doubleheader from a team as good as the Brewers is a big day for this club. The bullpen was strong across both games, which has not been a given this year, and Valdez keeps hitting. The Pirates took both ends today and are back on the right side of .500. On to the next one.
Valdez stayed hot Just hours after his two-homer, six-RBI game, he put the Pirates ahead with a two-run shot in the fourth.
Chandler gave them a start Six strikeouts and two runs into the fifth. A good outing from him in a game the Pirates needed the pitching to hold.
The bullpen finished the sweep Four scoreless innings from the pen, with Montgomery working around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his first save.