Pirates' base-running blunder, JT Brubaker's control problems lead Brewers to 4-3 victory

Baseballs coming off Pittsburgh Pirates bats and finding grass in the outfield were exceedingly rare Friday night at American Family Field. Odd as it may seem, the sixth and final hit actually resulted in the last out of the game and Milwaukee Brewers’ 4-3 victory.

Down 4-2, the Pirates confronted Brewers closer and MLB saves leader Josh Hader in the ninth inning. A rally started to develop when the Pirates put two runners on base after Diego Castillo walked and Kevin Newman — playing in his first game since April 26 after recovering from groin and hamstring injuries — singled to right with one out.

After Oneil Cruz struck out (his third of the game), Daniel Vogelbach singled to score Castillo, but overly aggressive baserunning cost the Pirates a chance to create a 4-4 tie. Newman tried to score from first base but was out by several feet when shortstop Willy Adames took a throw from right fielder Andrew McCutchen and relayed to catcher Victor Caratini. The former Pirates All-Star outfielder had moved from center in the seventh inning.

Adames got the out easily, even after hesitating slightly before making the throw.

Willy Adames was shocked to see Kevin Newman trying to score on Daniel Vogelbach’s ninth-inning single: pic.twitter.com/gOd7fh25dK

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) July 9, 2022

“He really caught me off-guard,” Adames told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. “Obviously, I thought he was not going. When I turned around and I saw him running, I just threw the ball. What is going on? Where’s he going? Especially with the top of the lineup coming up. I don’t know what was the thought process behind that play.”

Hader, who recorded his 26th save, wasn’t forced to face leadoff hitter Ke’Bryan Hayes, who was on deck. The Pirates collected only four hits through eight innings — three by Bryan Reynolds, who raised his batting average to .263.

The Brewers managed just enough offense against starter JT Brubaker to secure the one-run victory and hand the Pirates (34-50) their third loss in the past four games.

Before he stepped onto the mound, Brubaker had shown a recent command of the strike zone.

In the month of June, anyway.

After striking out 32 batters and walking only 10 in his six starts last month, Brubaker struggled with his control in his first July start, and the Brewers (48-37) cashed in, recording their ninth victory in 11 games against the Pirates this season.

Facing the National League Central leader, Brubaker threw 100 pitches in five innings, walking a season-high five batters and surrendering five hits and three runs. With Yerry De Los Santos pitching in the seventh, Adames’ 17th home run of the season sunk the Pirates into a deeper hole, 4-2, and proved decisive.

The best part of Brubaker’s effort was stranding six runners, or the game could have unraveled worse than it did. He also struck out six, his sixth consecutive game with at least five.

The Brewers loaded the bases twice in the second inning but managed only one run.

After Kolten Wong’s single, Brubaker walked two batters and gave up his first run on an RBI single by Keston Hiura.

A double-play ground ball off the bat of Jace Peterson helped Brubaker avoid further trouble.

He was not as fortunate in the fourth when the Brewers took a 3-2 lead. Again, Brubaker’s command of the strike zone was a big part of his problem.

After Brubaker walked McCutchen, who made his first start in center field since 2019, Wong knocked in the Brewers’ second run with a triple.

Brubaker’s second of three walks in the inning led to Peterson’s RBI single that broke a 2-2 tie.

The Pirates jumped ahead 2-1 in the fourth on Castillo’s 10th home run of the season, a two-out, two-run shot that followed a double by Bryan Reynolds.

It was Castillo’s fifth homer in his past eight road games and seventh in the past 18 overall, tied with the Brewers’ Rowdy Tellez for the second-most in the National League in that time.

Castillo’s 10 homers rank third among National League rookies, behind the Pirates’ Jack Suwinski (14) and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Juan Yepez (11).

Castillo is the sixth Pirates rookie with at least 10 home runs before the All-Star break, joining Josh Bell (16), Ralph Kiner (15), Suwinski, Jason Bay (12) and Wally Westlake (11).