PIRATES Craig Wilson's home run gives Bucs new life

Milwaukee's Dan Kolb experienced a rarity -- blowing a save opportunity.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers were one out away from beating a team on consecutive nights for the first time in almost two months. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon wasn't sweating it -- he still had his best bat available.
McClendon sent up pinch-hitter Craig Wilson -- his cleanup hitter who was supposed to be taking the night off -- with two outs in the ninth and Wilson didn't disappoint, hitting a solo homer to tie it at 2-all. The Pirates rallied for three runs in the 10th for a 5-2 victory over the Brewers.
It was Wilson's 10th career pinch homer, extending the franchise record.
Quite remarkable
"Willy came up big for us," McClendon said. "We were down to the last out and it was reminiscent of 2002 when he hit seven of those things. He's quite remarkable coming off the bench."
And Dan Kolb has been quite remarkable coming out of the bullpen.
He had converted 35 of 38 save opportunities and was one out away from moving within one save of the franchise record set by Bob Wickman in 1999 when Wilson sent a 1-0 fastball over the left field wall for his 26th homer.
"It was a bad pitch. I threw it down the middle of the plate and he hit it out of the park," Kolb said. "It's kind of funny; the only strike I threw that inning got hit out of the park. I'm going to get about three hours' sleep. I don't take these things very well."
Ty Wigginton's two-out infield single drove home the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th off rookie Jeff Bennett, who had loaded the bases by giving up Jack Wilson's leadoff single and walking Daryle Ward and Rob Mackowiak. Jose Castillo followed with a two-run double.
Poor against Pirates
Bennett (1-5), whom the Brewers plucked from the Pirates' organization in the winter meeting draft last winter, is 0-2 with a 12.80 ERA against his former team.
Salomon Torres (7-4) picked up the win with a perfect ninth and Jose Mesa picked up his 36th save in 41 chances.
The Brewers, who snapped a 12-game losing streak Tuesday night, have not won back-to-back home games since sweeping the Chicago Cubs July 5-7. That's also the last time they've beaten the same team two games in a row.
Scott Podsednik and Gary Bennett each atoned for earlier blunders when they put the Brewers ahead 2-1 in the fifth. Bennett singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Podsednik's single.
In the third, Bennett trotted to first as he watched his fly ball hit the wall in right-center field, then slowed again on his way to second, figuring right fielder Mackowiak's throw would be cut off. It wasn't and he was out by a step.
Podsednik misplayed Ward's RBI double to center that gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
The Brewers tied it in the home half on Geoff Jenkins' RBI double off Ryan Vogelsong, who allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings.