MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brett Anderson pitched seven effective innings and the Milwaukee Brewers built a big lead early and breezed past the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Saturday night.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a leadoff single in the first inning and the Brewers went on to score five times, with every run coming with two outs. Bradley, who had three hits, tripled and scored in the second as Milwaukee made it 7-0.
“I would rather not hit in the first inning, but we’ll take it. We’ve come out and hit the ball well,” Anderson said.
Anderson (2-1) and Pittsburgh starter Trevor Cahill (0-2), both 33 and having started their major league careers in 2009, made their third starts of the season. They had had rough first starts, but in their second outings, both gave up just one run in five innings.
Their paths diverged Saturday.
Anderson allowed one unearned run and six hits, walking one and striking out three. The Pirates’ run scored on one of three throwing errors by shortstop Luis Urías.
Cahill, signed as a free agent on March 21 and playing for his eighth team since 2015, retired the last seven hitters he faced before his outing ended after four innings.
Noting the Brewers’ five first-inning runs came on six singles, some of them softly hit, Cahill said “they could have all been solo homers. It’s just a hit. You’re trying to compete and just not let them reach base.”
Bradley singled, stole second and scored on a bloop single that broke Avisail García’s bat. Two runs later scored when center fielder Anthony Alford misplayed a single by Urías.
Pittsburgh coaxed across its run in the fourth. Bryan Reynolds singled, took second on a passed ball and later scored when Urías threw away a grounder by Jacob Stallings.
The Brewers, who have made the playoffs the past…
Leave a Reply