MILWAUKEE (AP) - Alcides Escobar’s triple sparked a six-run seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 Friday night.
Escobar’s triple on a misplayed ball by right fielder Lastings Milledge scored two to give Milwaukee its first lead of the game at 3-2.
Chris Narveson pitched seven innings in his longest start since he went eight in a 3-0 win June 27 against Seattle. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out eight and walking one.
James McDonald (2-4) was cruising along in his 10th major-league start before the seventh.
After Escobar’s triple, Jonathan Lucroy followed with an RBI single. Joe Inglett, batted for Narveson (10-7) and singled for his major-league leading 19th pinch hit.
Corey Hart doubled in a run before Ryan Braun added a two-run double.
The Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak and prevented the Pirates from winning what would have been a season-high three straight.
Escobar also turned in a defensive gem in the sixth with a running, over-the-shoulder catch in short center. The shortstop quickly popped to his feet and fired to first to double off Jose Tabata, who had nearly reached second before retreating.
McDonald retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. Other than Escobar’s infield single in the third, McDonald was in command while striking out six without a walk.
Chris Snyder’s solo shot to left in the fifth extended the Pirates’ lead to 2-0. Ronny Cedeno singled for the first run of the game in the second inning.
Notes: Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo and clubhouse attendant Alex Sanchez were robbed at gunpoint early Friday, hours after Milwaukee’s ace pitched in a loss to the Dodgers. Gallardo did not take any questions after briefly discussing the incident outside the team clubhouse before the start of the Brewers’ three-game series against Pittsburgh. … Milledge was nearly thrown out on Cedeno’s single. He took off from second on Cedeno’s line drive to right field. Hart fielded the ball cleanly and fired home to Lucroy. Milwaukee’s rookie catcher mishandled the throw on what could have been a very close call for umpire Bill Miller, allowing Milledge to score and give Pittsburgh an early 1-0 lead. … Pittsburgh took the final two games of a series at home against St. Louis before coming to Milwaukee.
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