The Brewers' pitching staff had a rough day as they lost the series finale 14-5 to the Pirates, continuing a trend of poor performances before the All-Star Break. This game was a stark reminder of the team's struggles on the mound, with multiple pitchers struggling to contain the Pirates' offense.
One of the key moments came in the bottom of the second inning when Ryan O'Hearn drove in the first run of the game on a double to right field. This set the tone for the Pirates' offensive dominance. Jackson Chourio narrowly missed robbing a two-run homer, but instead, it went over the wall for Henry Davis' eighth home run of the year, showcasing the Pirates' power hitting.
The Brewers' offense showed some life in the top of the fourth inning when Chourio hit a double to drive in Christian Yelich, cutting the Pirates' lead to 4-1. Gary Sánchez then grounded out and drove in a run, making it 4-2. However, this was a brief respite as the Pirates' bats came alive again in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Pirates' lineup reached base before there was an out recorded, and the Brewers found themselves down 11-2. The Pirates extended their lead to 14-2 after recording the first out. The Brewers' offense struggled to get going, with only a two-run home run from Brice Turang and an RBI double from Garrett Mitchell in the top of the eighth inning, bringing the final score to 14-5.
The pitching staff's struggles were evident, with Jacob Misiorowski scratched from the game and Brandon Woodruff moved to the 60-day injured list. Robert Gasser was knocked around and pulled after three innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits and allowing two home runs. Jared Koenig didn't record an out after allowing five runs on two hits and two walks. Grant Anderson completed one inning but gave up two runs on three hits.
On the bright side, Bryse Wilson made his return to the Brewers by throwing three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four batters. Chourio had the lone multi-hit game on the day, and Turang had the home run with two RBIs. Braden Shewmake struggled in his debut with the Brewers, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before being replaced by Andrew Vaughn.
The Brewers will now get a much-needed break as they prepare to be back home on Friday night to start a three-game series with the Miami Marlins. William Contreras will be the lone Brewers representative in this year's All-Star Game in Philadelphia, which will be on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. on FOX.
This loss highlights the team's ongoing challenges on the mound and the need for improvement before the season's second half. The Brewers' pitching staff will need to step up their game if they want to turn their fortunes around and compete for a playoff spot.
