Brewers' Guerra shuts down Pirates
MILWAUKEE-- Junior Guerra keeps proving he’s the real thing.
A 31-year-old rookie who had pitched in just three big-league games prior to this season, Guerra allowed four hits in 8 2/3 innings Friday night and led the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Guerra (7-2) allowed a leadoff double to Starling Marte in the second inning and a leadoff single to Jordy Mercer in the sixth. He didn’t allow either runner to advance as each time he retired the next three hitters.
He was finally touched for a run in the ninth, allowing a single, a walk and two fielder’s choice grounders to bring in the lone run. A single by Marte chased Guerra one out short of the Brewers’ first complete game in more than a year.
Claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox in December, Guerra started the season at Class AAA Colorado Springs. He made his Milwaukee debut on May 3 and has been a fixture ever since.
Pittsburgh starter Steven Brault (0-1) took the loss in his second major-league start. The rookie left-hander allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings three weeks after his major league debut in St. Louis.
Guerra finished July 2-1 and a 1.59 earned run average.(six earned runs, 34 innings). He lowered ERA to 2.70 in 16 starts.
With just 87 pitches through eight innings, Guerra was allowed to start the ninth inning. Pinch-hitter Matt Joyce led off with a single, and leadoff hitter John Jaso walked on a 3-2 pitch.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell went to the mound but surprised the crowd of 29,442 by heading back to the dugout without removing Guerra.
Guerra got Gregory Polanco on a fielder’s choice grounder, and retired Andrew McCutchen on another fielder’s choice. Joyce scored to ruin the shutout and snap a streak of 19 1/3 scoreless innings for Guerra.
When Marte lined a single to left, Counsell brought on closer Jeremy Jeffress.
Jeffress got Jung Ho Kang to ground to third on the first pitch for his 25th save.
Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead on Chris Carter's two-run home run in the first. The Brewers added a run on Keon Broxton's RBI double with one out in the sixth.
The Pirates suffered a potential big blow in the eighth inning when catcher Francisco Cervelli was nailed with a pitch on the inside of his right foot after it glanced off batter Scotter Gennett. Cervelli was unable to put much weight on the foot as he was helped to the dugout.
NOTES: Brewers LF Ryan Braun was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of tightness in his right side. ... Milwaukee SS Jonathan Villar returned to the lineup after sitting Thursday and being pulled Wednesday after three innings because of baserunning errors, including making the third out trying to steal third. ... Pittsburgh LHP Steven Brault made his second career start. His other outing was July 5 and since returning to Triple-A Indianapolis, he turned in consecutive scoreless six-inning outings.