Major League Baseball
Milwaukee 7, Pittsburgh 4
When: 7:05 PM ET, Saturday, September 3, 2016
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Temperature: 76°
Umpires: Home - Quinn Wolcott, 1B - Clint Fagan, 2B - Mark Carlson, 3B - Brian Gorman
Attendance: 26637

PITTSBURGH -- When you're young, a matter of weeks can seem like an eternity. Or at least plenty of time to adjust and fit in to a new situation. That's how Orlando Arcia saw things after what might have been the best game of his young major league career.

"I have been up here for a little bit more than a month, so it's time for everything to come together. I feel a lot more comfortable here now. I'm more relaxed and playing the way I know I can play," the 22-year-old Milwaukee shortstop said Saturday after he went 3-for-5, including a tiebreaking, bases-loaded single, and made several strong fielding plays in the Brewers' 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Chris Carter drove in three runs, including a two-run homer, for the Brewers, who have won three games in a row.

The Pirates have lost five in a row and failed to take advantage of a St. Louis loss, remaining 2 1/2 games out of a National League wild-card spot.

Neither starter got a decision. Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Pittsburgh's Ivan Nova gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. The Pirates had won each of Nova's first five starts after they acquired him last month from the New York Yankees.

Carlos Torres (3-3) pitched the seventh and got the win. Neftali Feliz (4-2) gave up two runs in a third of an inning in the eighth before leaving with an injury and took the loss.

Tyler Thornburg pitched the ninth for his eighth save of the season.

Milwaukee used seven pitchers for the second night in a row.

On Friday, the seven combined for a shutout in a 1-0 win. On Saturday, the Brewers overcame an early one-run deficit and broke out of a 2-2 tie.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Josh Harrison singled up the middle, followed by a walk to Josh Bell. They advanced when Andrew McCutchen grounded to second on a play where Bell pulled up on the bases and second baseman Scooter Gennett did not throw to second or tag Bell. Gregory Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Harrison.

In the sixth, Gennett led off with a double to the gap in right center. Two outs later, Carter sent Nova's first pitch to him into the left-field stands for a 2-1 Brewers lead.

"It was a mistake by me," Nova said. (Catcher Francisco) Cervelli wanted a sinker inside, but he was looking for that sinker and he put a good swing on it."

Nova left with Pittsburgh trailing 2-1 and faced no blame from manager Clint Hurdle after striking out six, walking one and throwing 19 of 24 first-pitch strikes.

"That was the start we were looking for," Hurdle said.

Milwaukee threatened to add to its lead in the seventh. Arcia led off with a double and stole second. Martin Maldonado's bunt moved Arcia to third. After pinch-hitter Domingo Santana walked, Keon Broxton hit what was ruled a single because when Cervelli fielded the ball in front of the plate, no one was covering first and two fielders were covering second. That loaded the bases, but reliever Jared Hughes got Gennett to ground into a double play to end the inning.

McCutchen made the Brewers pay for not scoring on that opportunity when he hit his 19th homer of the season, a two-out shot to right center, in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 2-2.

With one out and Milwaukee runners on the corners in the eighth, Feliz left the game because of right arm discomfort after apparently injuring himself on a pitch.

Felipe Rivero came in to replace Feliz. He walked pinch hitter Jake Elmore to load the bases, then gave up a single to Arcia that drove in Hernan Perez for a 3-2 Brewers lead.

"He did a great job of getting a big hit, especially when he fell behind 0-2 against a guy with a great arm," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Arcia. "He did it all. He showed a complete game tonight, for sure. His defense, probably the last two weeks, he has really started to shine. You're starting to see every ball he gets his glove on, he's starting to make the play."

After Maldonado struck out, pinch hitter Manny Pena drove in two more with a single to left for a 5-2 lead.

Rivero had not allowed an earned run in his first nine appearances since he was acquired by Pittsburgh last month. Hurdle did not hesitate to bring Rivero in cold.

"Guys in the bullpen know that they can be called up," Hurdle said. "He's been a guy that's pitched in that situation -- inherited runners -- and hadn't let one score until tonight."

Broxton -- facing the third Pirates pitcher of the inning, Kelvin Marte, who was making his big-league debut -- drove in another with a single up the middle for a 6-3 lead.

"We ended up sending 10 hitters to the plate, and everybody had a hand in it," Counsell said. "That was a great inning, up and down the lineup, a great inning."

Starling Marte led off the bottom of the eighth with a 434-foot homer to the shrubbery in center, drawing the Pirates to within 6-3. Later that inning, pinch hitter John Jaso hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 6-4.

Milwaukee tacked on a run in the ninth on Carter's one-out RBI single after Perez led off with a triple, making it 7-4.

NOTES: Milwaukee 3B Jonathan Villar was not in the lineup. Manager Craig Counsell said Villar has a sore knee and is day to day. ... The Brewers activated RHP Michael Blazek (right forearm strain) from the disabled list. ... Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow inflammation) threw 30 fastballs from the mound and is likely to have another bullpen session Monday or Tuesday. ... Pittsburgh used the same lineup as Friday. ... CF Keon Braxton and 1B Chris Carter started for the Brewers. They were not in Friday's lineup. ... Milwaukee used seven pitchers Friday in a 1-0 win in the series opener. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that was the third time in major league history that a team used seven or more pitchers in a 1-0 win of nine innings or fewer, and the second time by the Brewers against Pittsburgh. Milwaukee also used seven pitchers on Sept. 20, 2014, in a 1-0 win over the Pirates. The Mets used seven pitchers in a 1-0 win over Washington on Oct. 4, 2015. ... The Pirates honored their 1971 World Series championship team before the game and wore throwback uniforms.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Milwaukee   Pittsburgh
Jimmy Nelson Player Ivan Nova
No Decision W/L No Decision
5.1 IP 6.0
4 Strikeouts 6
4 Hits 5
1.69 ERA 3.00
Hitting
Milwaukee   Pittsburgh
Chris Carter Player Starling Marte
4 Hits 3
3 RBI 1
1 HR 1
7 TB 6
.800 Avg .750
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Milwaukee 14 1 23 .368 22 8 7 4 2 1
Pittsburgh 9 2 15 .290 21 7 4 6 1 0