PNC PARK Pirates manufacture key runs to deflate Milwaukee, 3-1

The Bucs won consecutive home games for the first time this season.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Struggling to score runs, the Pittsburgh Pirates got creative.
The Pirates broke a tie by scoring twice without a hit in the sixth inning to beat Ben Sheets and the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1.
"We battled away and got some runs on him. Sometimes you have to bunt people over or steal some bases, whatever," said Rob Mackowiak, who stole second and third base in the sixth for the Pirates, who are 12th in the National League in runs scored.
"It's not the greatest way to do it, but it got the job done."
Home improvement
Pittsburgh, a major league-worst 6-12 at home, won consecutive home games for the first time this season and improved to 4-0 against Milwaukee.
Craig Wilson opened the sixth inning with a walk and was forced out at second on a grounder by Mackowiak, who stole second base and then third as Jason Bay was walked. Bay took second base on a wild pitch, and Abraham Nunez's groundball to second scored Mackowiak.
"I was just trying to be aggressive," said Mackowiak, who has five stolen bases.
Sheets then fielded a grounder by Tike Redman and threw the ball over first baseman Lyle Overbay's head and into the stands for an error, scoring Bay.
"I was just trying to make a play and threw it away," Sheets said. "The leadoff walk ... I walked two guys in that inning, which is very frustrating, but you've just got to try and keep pitching."
Added Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon: "We'll take them any way we can get them. The stolen bases, you have to pick and choose your spots, and to this point we haven't been very good at it. But that can't deter us from staying aggressive on the basepaths."
Fogg prevails
Josh Fogg (2-4) allowed one run into the seventh inning and retired 13 of 14 batters before being lifted after allowing consecutive singles to start the seventh inning.
"He changed speeds very well, kept us off-balance with his offspeed stuff," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said.
Fogg struck out two and walked two while winning his second consecutive start.
"Against a guy like Sheets, throwing 94 mph with a great curve ball, you knew we were in for a battle," Fogg said. "We did a great job getting on base and stealing some bases. It's the type of game we have to play to get to the bullpen, which has been great all year."
Sheets was coming off an 18-strikeout performance against Atlanta last Sunday and allowed eight hits and struck out three in seven innings.
Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 13 opportunities after John Grabow and Salomon Torres each pitched one inning of relief.
Defensive gem
The Pirates also turned three double plays. After inheriting two runners in the seventh, Grabow got pinch-hitter Brady Clark to ground into a double play and induced Chad Moeller to fly out to right. Torres allowed a leadoff single by pinch-hitter Bill Hall in the eighth but got Scott Podsednik to ground into a double play.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Moeller doubled to left field with two outs, scoring Geoff Jenkins, who singled to lead off the inning. Moeller was hitless in 10 at-bats.
MILWAUKEEPITTSBURGH
abrhbiabrhbi
Pdsdnk cf4000Kendall c4020
Cunsell ss4000JWilsn ss4030
Spivey 2b4000Ward 1b4000
Jenkins lf4120CWilsn rf3000
Ovrbay 1b3010Mckwk 3b4220
KGintr 3b4010Castillo 2b0000
Grieve rf1000Bay lf3120
BClark rf1000ANunez 2b4001
Moeller c3021Stynes 3b0000
BShets p1000TRdmn cf4001
BHall ph1010Fogg p3000
Kschnk p0000Grabow p0000
STorres p0000
Hill ph1000
Mesa p0000
Totals30171Totals34392
Milwaukee010000000--1
Pittsburgh01000200x--3
E--Overbay (3), BSheets (2), ANunez (2). DP--Milwaukee 1, Pittsburgh 3. LOB--Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 9. 2B--Moeller (5). SB--JWilson (5), Mackowiak 2 (5). S--BSheets.
IPHRERBBSO
Milwaukee
BSheets L,4-3783223
Kieschnick110001
Pittsburgh
Fogg W,2-4651122
Grabow100000
STorres110000
Mesa S,13110000
Fogg pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. WP--BSheets. Umpires--Home, Bill Welke; First, John Hirschbeck; Second, Wally Bell; Third, Laz Diaz. T--2:35. A--25,736.