MILWAUKEE _ The Pirates rode solo homers from John Jaso, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte to a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday and their first four-game sweep at Miller Park.
Pittsburgh entered the series 17-64 in Milwaukee since 2007, and exited on a wave of momentum.
The Pirates (67-61) continue to gain ground in the wild-card race. They came into the day 1 { games behind the St. Louis Cardinals, who were trailing in the eighth when the Pirates-Brewers game ended. The Pirates also moved ahead of the Miami Marlins, who lost Sunday.
Right-hander Ivan Nova threw six strong innings before leaving the game with left hamstring discomfort. The extent of the injury is not yet known. The Pirates already are down a starter, with Gerrit Cole flying to Los Angeles on Sunday for a second opinion on his sore right elbow.
Coming off a complete-game win Tuesday, Nova seemed to pitch effortlessly again Sunday. After six innings of efficient, one-run baseball, he turned matters over to the Pirates bullpen. Nova used just 75 pitches. He gave up three hits and a hit by pitch, but no walks.
Nova, acquired at the trade deadline for two players to be named later, has a 2.87 ERA in five starts for the Pirates. He will be a free agent at the end of the season, but he has made his mark.
The Brewers managed just four hits. Their only run came courtesy of Jonathan Villar's two-out homer in the third.
Right-hander Chase Anderson piloted through the Pirates lineup for five innings, securing two outs with the bases loaded in the fourth, before he was dented. Jaso smacked a leadoff, sixth-inning solo shot, his first home run in 107 at-bats since his last blast June 22.
Two batters later, Polanco punished a baseball on a line over the right-field fence. See, Polanco was fed four consecutive fastballs in a pinch-hit at-bat Saturday that ended with a three-run double. So Anderson opted for off-speed. The first changeup floated high and away. The second connected with the barrel of Polanco's bat and got out in a hurry for his team-leading 20th home run.
Polanco, who will turn 25 on Sept. 14, is the ninth Pirates player with 20 home runs in a season at age 24 or younger. The other eight are Andrew McCutchen, Aramis Ramirez, Barry Bonds, Dave Parker, Bob Robertson, Willie Stargell, Frank Thomas and Ralph Kiner.
Marte joined the solos party with a leadoff homer off right-hander Carlos Torres in the eighth. The baseball cleared the center-field wall for Marte's eighth homer this season, his first since July 17.
Left-hander Antonio Bastardo pitched a perfect seventh. Lefty Felipe Rivero needed just nine pitches in a scoreless eighth. Closer Tony Watson picked up his 10th save.
