Brewers power past Pirates

Associated Press

milwaukee

Home runs helped the Milwaukee Brewers’ win, but so did catching a couple of breaks.

Prince Fielder, Brandon Boggs and Ryan Braun each hit solo home runs and the Brewers pulled away from the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 on Saturday.

Fielder and Boggs homered in the fourth inning off Jeff Karstens (2-2) as the Brewers defeated Pittsburgh for the eighth straight time overall. Milwaukee also has won eight in a row against the Pirates at Miller Park.

Milwaukee caught two breaks in the seventh.

Troy Hawkins came on in relief of Chris Naverson (2-3) to start the inning, and the Pirates were trailing 2-1 with runners on first and second when Neil Walker grounded sharply to Rickie Weeks.

The second baseman tossed to Craig Counsell for a forceout, and the shortstop’s relay beat Walker in a very close play. Manager Clint Hurdle ran out to argue the call and was tossed.

Hurdle said the umpire told him Walker was out.

“I said he missed the play,” Hurdle said. “I felt it was a tie at the worst. He didn’t see it that way.”

Fielder took the opposite view.

“He was out,” Fielder said. “When they did it on super slow-mo, it was bang-bang, but he was out.”

In their half of the inning, the Brewers broke the game open, helped by an error from third baseman Pedro Alvarez and a close play at the plate.

Pinch-hitter Corey Hart opened with a double off reliever Daniel McCutchen and tried to advance on Weeks’ grounder to shortstop Ronny Cedeno. Alvarez missed Cedeno’s throw, putting runners at the corners.

Joe Beimel came on to face Counsell, who bunted back to the mound. Hart beat Beimel’s throw to catcher Ryan Doumit, and Counsell reached on the sacrifice. After a walk loaded the bases, Fielder hit an RBI single.