MILWAUKEE — Raimel Tapia's sacrifice fly to deep center — nearly a grand slam — put Milwaukee ahead in a four-run eighth inning for the Brewers, who rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Sunday and sweep the three-game series.
“We played a good series," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “We did a lot of good things.”
The Brewers (37-34) remain a half game ahead of the Reds in the National League Central. Cincinnati defeated Houston 9-7 in 10 innings on Sunday. Pittsburgh (34-36) is now two and a half games behind Milwaukee and has lost six straight.
In the eighth, Jesse Winker and Willy Adames drew back-to-back to walks. After Rowdy Tellez flew out to right, William Contreras laced a single to right off Pirates reliever Dauri Moreta (3-2) that scored Andruw Monasterio, who entered as a pinch-runner for Winker, pulling the Brewers even.
After a walk loaded the bases, Tapia’s sacrifice fly to deep center off Pittsburgh closer David Bednar put Milwaukee in front 3-2. Luis Urias followed with a two-run single to push the margin to three runs.
“Late innings here in day games, it’s actually really hard to hit," said Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, who had two doubles and a walk. "For those guys to put good swings on balls and string together a lot of good at-bats is really impressive.”
Devin Williams pitched a perfect ninth to record his 12th save in 13 attempts.
Trevor Megill (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to notch the win.
The Pirates took the lead in the third when Ji Hwan Bae led off with a walk off Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta and Bryan Reynolds followed with a home run, his eighth of the season. The 415-foot, upper-deck blast accounted for Pittsburgh’s first runs since the seventh inning of Friday night’s game.
Making his seventh start of the season for the Pirates, Luis Ortiz pitched effectively into the fifth. Ortiz gave up four hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out six.
Aside from surrendering the homer to Reynolds, Peralta held Pittsburgh in check, giving up two hits and two runs in six innings. He struck out nine, one off his season high, and walked three. He retired the final 12 batters he faced.
“I was feeling really good,” Peralta said. “We know how important this series was for us."
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Placed LHP Jose Hernandez on the 15-day injured list with a right calf strain. … Selected contract of LHP Ryan Borucki from Triple-A Indianapolis.
KEY CONTRIBUTION
Tapia's deep fly to center, which Bae caught as he crashed into the wall, appeared as though it might carry over the fence for a grand slam. “I was thinking that I hit that ball pretty well. I was happy to get the job done but I was expecting the ball to go farther," Tapia said of his game-changing at-bat. But Tapia, who signed with the Brewers last week after being released by Boston, already is making a positive impression on his new team.
“I loved his approach in that last at-bat. Just being aggressive," Counsell said. "You get rewarded by contact there. He got a good pitch to hit and did something with it. You come to a new team and you want to make a contribution. I feel happy for him, to contribute to a win. That’s important for new players.”
NO. 1 PICK IS IN
The struggling Pirates will have a welcome infusion of fresh blood waiting for them when they return home to PNC Park for a three-game series with the Cubs. Manager Derek Shelton said the club will promote catcher Henry Davis — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft — from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.
Davis is hitting a combined .284 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs in 51 combined games Double-A and Triple-A this season.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Osvaldo Bido (0-0, 2.25 ERA) gets the start in the opener of a three-game series against the Cubs in Pittsburgh. LHP Drew Smyly (6-4, 3.59 ERA) pitches for Chicago.
Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (5-4, 3.44) starts the opener of a three-game series against visiting Arizona. RHP Merrill Kelly (8-3, 3.04) takes the mound for the Diamondbacks.
