In a game that featured plenty of long balls, the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 at Miller Park on Sunday.
Milwaukee got out to a fast start, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on RBI hits by Taylor Green and Rickie Weeks. After that, Pirates starter James McDonald settled down, going six innings and allowing just one earned run. His ERA now sits at 2.14, which is the second lowest in the National League.
Clint Barmes would get the Pirates on the board in the second inning with an RBI single. The home run barrage began in the top of the fifth when Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run home run followed immediately by a Garrett Jones solo shot to make the score 4-2. The lead would increase to 5-2 after Rod Barajas homered in the top of the sixth.
The Brewers would not go quietly, as Nyjer Morgan hit his second home run of the series, and of the year, in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 5-3. In the seventh, Martin Maldonato cut the deficit to 5-4 with his first career home run.
Barmes provided insurance for the Pirates with a solo shot in the ninth that made the score 6-4. The Brewers staged a rally on Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan, as Brooks Conrad homered and the tying run reached base before Hanrahan slammed the door for the save.
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