Surprise, surprise, like most people expected the Pirates went into Milwaukee for a three game series and came out with no wins…again. The Bucs just can't beat the team they wish they were. No hitting again, Chuck Morton and the bullpen did all they could but the Pirates just can't score any runs at all no matter how many innings you give them. Rob Biertempfel has more:
MILWAUKEE – Nyjer Morgan's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning Sunday lifted the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-1 victory against the Pirates and a sweep of the three-game series at Miller Park.
George Kottaras began the inning with a single to left field off Chris Resop. Casey McGehee doubled to right, sending Kottaras to third.
Morgan flew out to deep right, scoring Kottaras.
The Brewers tied the game in the eighth, ending Morton's scoreless streak at 24 1/3 innings. It also cost Morton a chance to notch his 10th win of the season.
Matt Lucroy began the inning with a bloop single to left. With one out, Morton was replaced by Jose Veras, who got Casey McGehee to fly out.
Closer Joel Hanrahan replaced Veras, setting up a rare four-out save opportunity. Nyjer Morgan struck out swinging on a wild pitch, but reached first when the ball got away from catcher Michael McKenry.
Ryan Braun singled to center, scoring pinch-runner Jerry Hairston to tie it 1-1. It was Hanrahan's second blown save of the year. The run belonged to Morton, snapping his streak.
Morton had not allowed a run since the second inning on July 29 against the Philadelphia Phillies. It's the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher since James McDonald strung together 20 scoreless innings from Sept. 1-18, 2010.
Morton dominated left-handed hitters, against whom he normally struggles. The Brewers' lefties went 1 for 13 with a walk and one hit batter.
The Pirates scored their lone run in the first inning against right-hander Shaun Marcum. Garrett Jones hit a one-out double into the right field corner. Andrew McCutchen followed with a ground-rule double, which bounced over the left field wall.
Marcum worked 7 2/3 innings and gave up just three hits. The Pirates had just one other scoring chance against him. They had runners on the corners with one out in the third, but McCutchen struck out and Neil Walker grounded out.
Walker is hitless in his past 21 at-bats, dropping his batting average to .267.
The Pirates had the bases loaded with two outs in the 10th. But Brandon Wood tapped the ball a foot in front of the plate, and catcher George Kottaras snatched it and stepped on home to force out Xavier Paul.