Pittsburgh Pirates: Brewers’ Khris Davis Sends Pirates To Crushing Loss In 14th
By Matt Shetler
For the second consecutive game, the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t hold onto a late one-run lead.
After blowing advantages in both the eighth and ninth innings, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Khris Davis made sure the Bucs went home unhappy for the second consecutive day.
Apr 17, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder
Ryan Braun(8) reacts as he step to the plate to bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Davis hit a solo homer off Jeanmar Gomez in the 14th inning as the Brewers came back to defeat the Pirates for the second consecutive day to take three of four games in the series.
The game was marred by a mini-brawl in the third inning.
Brewers’ center fielder Carlos Gomez was once again in the middle of controversy when, like he often does, cockily admired his work when he tripled to center off Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole.
Cole said something to Gomez and then the benches emptied, with Gomez, Martin Maldonado, Travis Snider and Russell Martin involved in most of the action.
Gomez and Martin had a hard time being restrained and while Gomez ran his mouth a lot, not many punches were thrown except from Maldonado, who connected with a shot to the face of Snider that went unnoticed to the umpires.
Gomez and Snider were ejected from the game. Brewers bench coach Jerry Narron also was ejected.
Pirates’ second baseman Neil Walker clubbed his sixth homer of the season in the fourth to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead. The homer was the first of three hits on the afternoon for Walker. It looked like Walker’s dinger would hold up, but that wouldn’t be the case.
Cole put the Pirates in a position to win with seven shutout innings, but allowed a solo home to Mark Reynolds in the eighth to tie the game at one.
On the afternoon Cole was sensational, tossing eight innings of six-hit ball, allowing only the homer while striking out six. Cole also had an impact with the bat as he collected two of the Pirates 13 hits on the afternoon.
Brewers’ starter Marco Estrada once again shut the Pirates bats down, allowing only one run and six hits through six innings of work as he and Cole hooked up in an entertaining pitcher’s duel.
Jose Tabata legged out an infield single with two outs in the eighth inning that scored Ike Davis to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead, but Ryan Braun touched up Grilli for the second consecutive night in the ninth inning, clubbing his sixth homer of the season to tie the game at two.
It was Grilli’s third blown save of the season and second in consecutive days, after blowing just two saves all last season.
Former Pirates’ pitcher Zach Duke (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Gomez (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
Francisco Rodriguez allowed a two-out single to Pedro Alvarez in the 14th, but struck out Starling Marte to record his seventh save of the season.
The Pirates will be back in action Monday night when they play host to the Cincinnati Reds. Francisco Liriano (0-3, 3.96 ERA) will look for his first win of the season and will be opposed by the Reds’ Mike Leake (2-1, 2.95).