PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen homered for the second straight day, Matt Joyce and Gregory Polanco each had three of the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ 17 hits in their 9-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
Juan Nicasio (2-1) allowed three runs over six innings for Pittsburgh, giving up all the Milwaukee offence in the fourth after three perfect innings to start the game.
Sean Rodriguez had a two-run homer and Josh Harrison and John Jaso each had two hits for the Pirates, who took the series from the Brewers after a loss in the opener Friday had extended their losing streak to four.
Zach Davies (0-1) was pounded by the Pirates for the third time in seven career starts, getting charged with six runs (five earned) on nine hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.
Davies has a 13.94 ERA in 10 1/3 career innings against the Pirates. He is 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA in four starts against other teams.
Nicasio, an off-season acquisition who earned a spot in the rotation with a dominant spring training, struck out four of the first nine he faced. He allowed just one ball to reach the outfield in that time while the Pirates built a 6-0 lead by way of a five-run third.
Although the Brewers pulled themselves back into the game the following inning, Pittsburgh added to its lead with McCutchen’s second home run of the season in the fifth and Rodriguez’s first.
The Pirates entered Sunday with only five home runs this season, fewest in the National League. They had season highs in runs, hits and homers. Pittsburgh left 14 men on base.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: Manager Craig Counsell stressed that giving the day off to OF Ryan Braun had been planned well in advance and that Braun has held up well physically after undergoing back surgery last fall.
Pirates: 3B Jung Ho Kang will begin a rehabilitation stint with Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday as he continues his recovery from a significant left knee injury in September. RHP Jared Hughes (back strain) will report to Indianapolis for a rehab stint in time for Tuesday’s game. . OF Starling Marte was not in Sunday’s lineup after being hit by a pitch on the outside of his right hand, but he did enter the game on defence in the eighth inning.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Milwaukee will use a designated hitter for the first time this season, playing games Monday and Tuesday in Minnesota before hosting the Twins the following two days. Counsell indicated the Brewers would keep an extra bullpen arm on the roster before adding an outfielder when they return to a National League park.
Pirates: After an idle day, Pittsburgh heads to the West Coast for three games at San Diego followed by a three-game series at Arizona and four games in Colorado. The Pirates are playing NL West teams for the first time this season after going 27-6 against the division in 2015, including 14-3 on the road.
