Alvarez homers twice to help Pirates beat Brewers

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in Pittsburgh’s nine-run first and a solo drive in the second for his first career multihomer game, helping the Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-9 on Tuesday night.

Fellow rookie Neil Walker had a career-high five hits for the Pirates, who got 3 2-3 scoreless innings from four relievers after the Brewers got within one.

Jim Edmonds and Ryan Braun went deep for the Brewers. Edmonds finished with four hits.

Sloppy Milwaukee committed three errors over a six-pitch span in Pittsburgh’s big first and the nine runs allowed in the opening frame set a Brewers record.

Alvarez hit a 2-2 pitch from Dave Bush (4-8) over the wall in right for his fourth homer and Pittsburgh’s second slam of the season.

Third baseman Casey McGehee’s error allowed another run to score, and Jose Tabata, Delwyn Young and Walker hit consecutive RBI doubles.

It was the first time Pittsburgh scored nine or more runs in the first inning since it got nine against the Chicago Colts on Aug. 8, 1893, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, and just the third time in franchise history.

Milwaukee, which beat Pittsburgh 20-0 at PNC Park on April 15, responded with three in the second and four in the third.

The big blow was Edmonds three-run drive off rookie Brad Lincoln in the third, his 13th in 184 at-bats at the Pirates’ home.

Braun’s two-run homer off Brendan Donnelly cut it to 10-9 in the sixth, but Garrett Jones hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom half and the Pirates’ bullpen held on from there.