Nick Gonzales extends his hot streak by going 5 for 5 as Pirates win 5-4 to cool off the Brewers
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Nick Gonzales went 5 for 5 with two RBIs, Isiah Kiner-Falefa tripled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Milwaukee 5-4 on Monday night to snap the Brewers' four-game winning streak.
Tommy Pham hit a one-out single off Nick Mears (1-1) and scored when Kiner-Falefa sent a line drive into the right-field corner. Pham also hit his first homer of the season, a two-run shot off Chad Patrick in the fourth.
Kiner-Falefa's big hit came after Milwaukee slugger Christian Yelich tied the game in the fifth by connecting on a 3-0 pitch from Chase Shugart (4-3) for a two-run homer that stayed just inside the right-field foul pole.
Yelich has batted .402 (41 for 102) with eight homers and 30 RBIs over his last 26 games. He is 16 for 30 with 14 RBIs in his past seven games.
David Bednar worked around a hit and a walk in the ninth to earn his 11th save in as many opportunities. Bednar hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 13 appearances.
Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft made his first career start and allowed one hit and no walks over three innings, lowering his ERA to 1.23. Ashcraft primarily has been a starter in the minors, but all seven of his previous major league appearances came in relief.
Key moment
Milwaukee had a runner at first with nobody out in the ninth when Jake Bauers hit a long drive to right that looked like a potential walk-off homer before it went just foul. Two pitches later, Caleb Durbin attempted to steal second but overslid the bag and was tagged out. Bauers eventually walked, but Bednar struck out Joey Ortiz and retired Sal Frelick on a shallow fly to right.
Key stat
Gonzales is 12 for 22 over his last five games, raising his batting average from .226 to .320.
Up next
Left-hander Andrew Heaney (3-6, 3.94 ERA) starts for Pittsburgh and right-hander Freddy Peralta (7-4, 2.76) pitches for Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
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