Full Nelson: Brewers pitcher domintes Bucs

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE

Jimmy Nelson pitched seven dominant innings and the Milwaukee Brewers tagged Pittsburgh Pirates ace Gerrit Cole for five early runs on the way to a 7-4 victory Tuesday night.

Nelson (11-10) gave up four hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out six.

The Brewers collected four consecutive hits in the first off Cole (15-8). Ryan Braun drove in a run with a single and Adam Lind drove in two with a double as Milwaukee grabbed a 3-0 lead before Cole retired a batter. Jean Segura drove in another run in the inning on a two-out infield hit.

Jonathan Lucroy’s run-scoring single extended Milwaukee’s lead to 5-0 in the second. Cole had surrendered five earned runs in a game only once before this season, on June 24, against Cincinnati.

Cole lasted four innings, his shortest outing of the season. He gave up five runs and eight hits. He walked one and struck out two.

While Cole struggled, Nelson cruised. He retired 10 straight before Jung Ho Kang led off the fifth with a double and then scored on Neil Walker’s single.

Nelson rebounded from a rough outing at Cleveland on Wednesday when he gave up five runs and four hits in 31/3 innings in taking the loss.

Pedro Alvarez hit a leadoff home run in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Brewers added two runs in the eighth. Aramis Ramirez and Kang hit back-to-back homers in the ninth.

Francisco Rodriquez recorded the final out for his 32nd save in 33 tries.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Rob Scahill has been recalled from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis and reinstated from the 15-day DL. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club has reinstated RHP Casey Sadler from the minor league DL, recalled him to Pittsburgh and placed him on the 60-day DL with a right elbow strain.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Jeff Locke (7-8, 4.46 ERA) is 4-3 with a 3.48 ERA in 10 career starts against Milwaukee. He’s 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA in three starts this year versus the Brewers.

Brewers: Zach Davies will be making his major league debut. Milwaukee acquired the right-hander from Baltimore on July 31 for OF Gerardo Parra. He was 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA in five starts at Triple-A Colorado Springs.