Brewers 7, Pirates 4
MILWAUKEE -- Jimmy Nelson allowed one run in seven innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers got an early jump on right-hander Gerrit Cole in a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Miller Park.
Nelson (11-10) won for the sixth time in his past nine starts, scattering four hits and while striking out six and issuing no walks. The right-hander was coming off one of his worst starts of the season last week at Cleveland, when he permitted five earned runs and eight walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Meanwhile, Cole (15-8) couldn't get going against the Brewers, who tagged him for a career-high five runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts in a career-low four innings.
Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez hit his 22nd home run of the season in the eighth inning, a solo shot off right-hander Corey Knebel.
Brewers shortstop Jean Segura broke the game open with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth, his third hit of the day.
Those runs became crucial in the ninth when right-handed David Goforth allowed back-to-back, two-out solo home runs to third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who was dealt from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh prior to the deadline, and shortstop Jung Ho Kong, cutting the deficit to three runs.
Right-hander Francisco Rodriguez came on with a runner at first and needed just one pitch to retire Alvarez and notch his 32nd save of the season.
Three first-inning singles and a double by first baseman Adam Lind put Milwaukee up 3-0. Segura beat out an infield squibber to drive in Lind, giving the Brewers a 4-0 lead before Cole finally escaped the inning.
Catcher Jonathan Lucroy made it a 5-0 game with an RBI single in the second.
The Pirates got on the board in the fifth when second baseman Neil Walker drove in Kang with a base hit up the middle.
NOTES: Milwaukee selected the contract of RHP Zach Davies from Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he was 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA in five starts after being acquired from the Orioles in a trade for OF Gerardo Parra. Davies will make his major league debut Wednesday against the Pirates. ... Pittsburgh recalled OF Jaff Decker, LHP Bobby LaFromboise and C Elias Diaz from Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates also selected the contracts of OF Travis Snider and RHP Radhames Liz from Indianapolis and reinstated RHP Rob Scahill from the disabled list. To clear space on the 40-man roster, Casey Sadler was transferred to the 60-day DL. ...Tuesday marked the first of 17 consecutive games against NL Central opponents for Pittsburgh, which began the day in second, five games behind the Cardinals and 5 1/2 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs for the first National League wild card spot. The Pirates will play 26 of their final 33 games against divisional foes.