Milwaukee, WI – Rickie Weeks went 3-for-5 with a home run, five RBI and three runs scored, while Jean Segura and Yuniesky Betancourt each hit solo homers as the Milwaukee Brewers outslugged the Pittsburgh Pirates, 12-8, Tuesday in the middle test of a three-game series at Miller Park.
Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez each had two hits and an RBI and Martin Maldonado hit a two-run double for the Brewers, who extended their winning streak to nine games versus the Pirates en route to picking up the team's eighth straight home victory.
Milwaukee starter Marco Estrada tossed five innings and allowed five runs, while Tom Gorzelanny (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless seventh inning in relief.
"Rickie was in early today and worked with Johnny (hitting coach Johnny Narron) and they worked on some things," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I don't know exactly what it was, but he had a really good day. He's had some better at-bats lately."
Andrew McCutchen was one of four Pittsburgh players to hit a home run and finished 4-for-5 to go along with two RBI. Starling Marte hit a three-run shot, Russell Martin hit a solo homer and Gaby Sanchez added a two-run bomb in the setback.
"My confidence is always through the roof," McCutchen said, "regardless of the outcome. If you just focus on the results, it's going to be a long season. All you can do is keep playing. We fought back and we will continue to fight."
Vin Mazzaro was charged with a blown save in the sixth and Bryan Morris (0-1) absorbed the loss, allowing one run on two hits over two innings.
Martin and McCutchen hit back-to-back jacks with one down in the fifth to close the visitors' deficit to 7-5. Pittsburgh then looked to take control in the sixth versus the Milwaukee bullpen. Facing Burke Badenhop with runners on first and third and two outs, Marte crushed the first pitch he saw to deep center to make it 8-7.
It was short-lived, though, as the hot-hitting Brewers utilized the long-ball in the following innings to remain dominant in the recent series.
In the bottom of the sixth, Segura clubbed a solo shot to right-center, his second homer in as many days, and Betancourt followed with a solo blast -- also to right-center -- in the seventh, to make it 9-8.
Weeks capped the scoring and added some extra insurance in the eighth with a three-run shot to right-center which all but sunk the Bucs.
In the first, McCutchen's RBI single up the middle scored Marte, who hit a leadoff double to start the inning.
Weeks and Betancourt walked to open up the second inning and scored on Maldonado's double to left. Estrada helped his own cause with an RBI single and Maldonado scored on Garrett Jones' fielding error to make it 3-1.
Sanchez provided some offense for the visitors in the third with a two-out blast, his fourth of the season, to right field to tie the game. Gomez's RBI double to left in the bottom of the frame, though, scored Weeks to put the Brewers up 4-3.
In the fourth, Lucroy hit an RBI double to left and Weeks followed with a two- run poke to center to make it 7-3.
Game Notes
Estrada has 46 strikeouts and four walks in 42 2/3 innings against the Pirates all-time ... Milwaukee's Ryan Braun went 3-for-5 with two runs scored ... Milwaukee improved to 46-7 since 2007 versus Pittsburgh at Miller Park ... Marte's three-run homer was originally called a double, but the play was overturned after it was reviewed.
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