MILWAUKEE — More issues with walks. Head-scratching defensive mistakes that just won’t stop. A five-run inning allowed. Faring decently well against Milwaukee’s starter. And, ultimately, a 7-4 loss.
What the Pirates did Saturday against the Brewers didn’t look much different from the opening game of this series, which isn’t exactly a formula Pittsburgh should want to repeat.
It is, unfortunately for them, one that has played out far too frequently this season, where the starting pitching and offensive production have been inconsistent, as the Pirates simply aren’t good or deep enough to win games without having all parts of their game working together.
Especially problematic for the Pirates in this one was the fact that they allowed the Brewers to score seven unanswered runs. They also had chances to score, with their best coming in the fifth when the Pirates loaded the bases with no outs, and Gregory Polanco, Erik Gonzalez and Ka’ai Tom all struck out.
Pittsburgh actually had runners in scoring position in five of the final seven innings and came away with zero runs. They finished 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position, stranding 10.
Same as Pittsburgh had at least some success Friday against Brandon Woodruff, they fared OK against Corbin Burnes, who came into Saturday’s game having allowed 14 runs in his 10 previous starts, including just one run over his past 13 innings.
Pittsburgh scored four runs against Burnes and forced him into a 26-pitch first inning — his longest so far this year — but it obviously didn’t matter because of Milwaukee’s five-run fourth.
As a result, the Pirates (23-40) have now lost six in a row for the third time this season. They’ve dropped 29 of 40 since they were above .500 (12-11) on April 27.
A night after his 13-game hitting streak ended, Adam Frazier got the Pirates started with a leadoff single and scored as part of a three-run first that gave Pittsburgh an early lead.
Phillip Evans followed with a bloop single before Bryan Reynolds shot a ball up the middle at Burnes. It hit Burnes’ foot, and the Brewers starter threw wildly to first. The error allowed two runs to score, and Reynolds scampered to third. Following a walk to Colin Moran, Reynolds scored when Jacob Stallings hit into a double play.
Pittsburgh grew its lead in the second inning when Erik Gonzalez and Ka’ai Tom hit back-to-back triples, the second of those coming on a 2-2 cutter that Burnes left in the middle of the plate. For Tom, it snapped an 0-for-14 skid.
Milwaukee got one back in the bottom half of that inning, thanks to more sloppy play from the Pirates. With two outs, third baseman Pablo Reyes lined a ball — 103 mph, but still catchable — at Gonzalez, who was playing shortstop. The ball handcuffed him. Gonzalez moved awkwardly, and it struck him in the inner-thigh.
Worse, Reynolds made a wild throw into second, Frazier couldn’t scoop it, and the ball trickled all the way to the backstop. The two-base error allowed Reyes to reach third, and he scored on a single from Burnes.
The Brewers got another run back in the third, when catcher Omar Narvaez dropped a bloop single into right field. Gregory Polanco’s throw home left a lot to be desired, which allowed left fielder Christian Yelich to score all the way from first.
Milwaukee took over with a five-run fourth, its second big inning in as many games. A single and two walks loaded the bases for Yelich, who cleared the bases with a slicing, opposite-field double to left.
With the Brewers in front, 5-4, manager Derek Shelton again went to his bullpen and had Clay Holmes replace Kuhl. Shortstop Willy Adames greeted Holmes by launching a ground-rule double into the Pirates bullpen to score Yelich. Narvaez singled past a shifted Frazier for another run.
The start for Kuhl was definitely a step back from his last one — six innings, three runs allowed against Miami.
Kuhl again went with his slider nearly 50% of the time but was hurt by four walks and other momentary lapses of control. Saturday marked the first time Kuhl has ever lost to the Brewers. He came into Saturday’s start 4-0 all time against Milwaukee with a 2.12 ERA.
Frazier finished with three hits for the Pirates. He’s hit safely in seven of his past eight games at American Family Field, hitting .364 (12 for 33) during that stretch.
