Stewart leads Pirates to 6-3 win vs. Brewers

PITTSBURGH At 33, Chris Stewart doesn’t have much power left in his bat. He never had much, anyway. His role is backup catcher, and he does it well. With the smarts of a nine-year veteran and a short, compact swing, Stewart sprays sharp grounders and low line drives around the infield with clinical precision.

Friday night, Stewart had three hits, including a bunt single, drove in three runs and also picked off a runner as the Pirates won, 6-3, at PNC Park to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Milwaukee Brewers (62-79). It was Stewart’s first three-RBI game since Aug. 20, 2013 also the date of his last major league home run.

The Pirates (84-56) entered the night trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by 41/2 games for the division lead.

After Adam Lind ripped a two-run home run to right-center field in the first the Brewers’ second two-run, first-inning homer in as many nights right-hander Charlie Morton fell into a groove. He allowed only one hit over the next five frames.

In six innings, Morton gave up three hits and two runs, walking two and striking out two. The defense behind him had some trouble, as Aramis Ramirez air-mailed a throw and Josh Harrison misplayed a line drive in left field, but Morton pitched out of trouble both times.

Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson entered the game with a 1.72 ERA in five previous starts this season against the Pirates. He worked efficiently early, his first nine outs all coming on grounders, and carried a no-hitter into the fourth. He finished with four hits and four runs in five-plus frames.

Harrison led off the fourth with a base hit, and Nelson walked Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker to load the bases with two outs. Jordy Mercer worked an eight-pitch at-bat and was awarded an RBI infield single after shortstop Luis Sardinas threw wide to first.

Stewart gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead with a single through the left side of the infield. Then, two innings later, he slapped reliever Tyler Cravy’s 2-0 fastball to left for another RBI single.

The Pirates added two runs in the seventh, pushing their lead to 6-2. Jung Ho Kang doubled to left off reliever David Goforth, and left fielder Khris Davis bobbled the ball in the corner, allowing McCutchen to score from first. After a wild pitch, Kang came home on Walker’s sacrifice fly.

The Brewers picked up a run in the eighth against Arquimedes Caminero and loaded the bases with two outs for pinch-hitter Ryan Braun, a former National League MVP. But Braun couldn’t square up left-hander Tony Watson’s 95-mph sinker and grounded out weakly to third.

Closer Mark Melancon pitched a perfect ninth for his league-leading 45th save this season, one shy of the Pirates club record set by Mike Williams in 2002.

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