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Stumbling Pirates blow three-run lead, fall below .500
Photo
The Brewers’ Rickie Weeks hits a triple to left-center off Pirates relief pitcher Chris Resop, driving in two runs, in the eighth inning of Thursday’s baseball game in Pittsburgh. Weeks scored the go-ahead run on Aramis Ramirez’s single as the Brewers rallied to defeat the Pirates 9-7.
Associated Press
Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates were in position to end one of sports’ most embarrassing streaks just six weeks ago.
Now, it doesn’t look so good.
Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run drive for his 30th homer, but the Pirates blew a three-run lead in a 9-7 loss to the surging Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
The stumbling Pirates (74-75) have dropped three straight and 11 of 13 to slip under .500 for the first time since May 29. They are in danger of a 20th straight losing season, which would extend their major North American professional sports record.
It’s been quite the fall since they beat the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 8 to move a season-high 16 games over .500 at 63-47.
“It’s hard to believe,” Pirates right fielder Garrett Jones said in an otherwise silent clubhouse. “You think back to all the excitement. We were in the pennant race. The fans were fired up. It’s hard to believe how much it’s changed. It’s really disappointing.”
Pittsburgh trailed 4-0 against Milwaukee, but managed to rally for a 7-4 lead. But it all fell apart for the Pirates during the Brewers’ four-run eighth.
Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura opened the inning with consecutive singles off Chad Qualls. Norichika Aoki doubled in a run with one out and Rickie Weeks greeted Chris Resop (1-4) with a triple to the 410-foot mark in left-center.
Ryan Braun was intentionally walked before Aramis Ramirez bounced a single into center field to give Milwaukee an 8-7 lead.
The Brewers have won five straight, eight of nine and 15 of 19 to climb into the playoff race. They remained 21/2 games back of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card slot.
“We’re doing everything right, right now,” said Ramirez, who had three hits and three RBIs. “I played on a couple of really good teams in Chicago [with the Cubs] but we started off the season really well. We’ve kind of made a late push here. Hopefully, it’s not too late.”
The Brewers added a run in the ninth on pinch-hitter Logan Schafer’s single.
Clint Barmes also homered for Pittsburgh, and Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez each had two hits.
“I wish I had an answer for why we’re struggling,” Barmes said. “Everything was clicking for us for so long and it seemed like we were doing all the little things right to win games. Now it’s not clicking and it just seems like nothing is going our way.”
Manny Parra (2-3), the fifth of seven Brewers pitchers, tossed a scoreless inning for the win. John Axford got three outs for his 31st save in 39 chances, working around an error by rookie shortstop Segura.
The Pirates scored three runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Barmes hit his eighth homer, Marte singled in a run and Travis Snider had a sacrifice fly.