Pirates, Brewers play to a split

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Ryan Doumit homered and drove in two runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates ended more than a year of futility against the Milwaukee Brewers with a 9-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday night.

The Brewers took the opener 8-1 for their 13th straight victory over Pittsburgh, but the Pirates pounded Milwaukee ace Zack Greinke in the second game.

Greinke (12-5) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings in losing for the first time in a month. The defeat was just the fourth in the last 23 games for the NL Central-leading Brewers.

In the opener, Chris Narveson pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and knocked in two runs after coming off the disabled list to lead Milwaukee to an 8-1 victory.

The left-hander gave up five hits, walked one and struck out three before being forced to leave with one out in the sixth after the nail on his left middle finger started to tear.

It’s the second finger-related injury Narveson has sustained this month. He lacerated his left thumb while repairing his glove two weeks ago, sending him to the 15-day DL.

The nail shouldn’t be as troublesome, though he took a good ribbing from his teammates.

“[Randy Wolf] said he was going to send me to a manicurist,” Narveson said.

Ryan Braun hit his 25th homer for the Brewers, who have won 19 of 23 to open a comfortable lead in the NL Central over second-place St. Louis. Milwaukee also has won 13 of 14 against the fading Pirates.

Pittsburgh, in first place five weeks ago, fell 161/2 games out.

Pirates starter Jeff Karstens (9-7) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out five. But he couldn’t find a way to end the Pirates’ misery against Milwaukee.

“They’re just on a big roll,” he said. “I really can’t describe it. It’s one of those things where we’ve got to be better than we are.”

Nobody’s better than the Brewers these days. Milwaukee took another step toward its first division title since 1982 by continuing its dominance of Pittsburgh.

The Brewers haven’t lost to the Pirates since July 21, 2010, and have outscored them 51-16 this year.

Narveson’s trip to the DL might have been more embarrassing than painful, and once back on the hill he had no issues with the Pirates, who are 8-23 since July 19.