Burnitz Cashes In on Pirate Errors

The Pittsburgh Pirates kept offering the Milwaukee Brewers opportunities to get back in the game. The Brewers finally accepted.

Jeromy Burnitz hit a two-run homer off rookie Scott Sauerbeck to finish off a four-run Milwaukee rally highlighted by two Pittsburgh errors, and the Brewers beat the Pirates, 5-3, Saturday at Pittsburgh.

Burnitz also hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and Jeff Cirillo homered for the second day in a row.

“We don’t quit, that’s for sure,” said Burnitz, who struck out swinging in his first two at-bats before driving in three runs. “You’ve got to keep battling, because one at-bat can turn everything around for you and the team.”

Pirate starter Pete Schourek got in trouble in the seventh. Leadoff batter David Nilsson singled, advanced to second as the ball rolled by center fielder Brant Brown for an error, then scored an out later on Alex Ochoa’s sacrifice fly.

Todd Ritchie (0-1) came on to get the first batter in the eighth, but third baseman Ed Sprague threw away Marquis Grissom’s grounder for his fifth error of the season. After Cirillo reached on a force play grounder, Burnitz greeted Sauerbeck by hitting a 3-and-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his fifth homer.

The Pirates have committed 15 errors in 16 games, 11 more than the Brewers have in 17 games.

Al Reyes (2-0) got the victory with two scoreless innings in relief of Cal Eldred, who made his first start since fracturing his right elbow July 26. Eldred gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.

“He generally put the ball where he wanted to, and he had a lot of late movement on his pitches,” Brewer Manager Phil Garner said. “It was very encouraging.”

Schourek couldn’t hold the lead despite pitching effectively for the second consecutive start.

He has yielded two earned runs over 13 innings in his last two starts after giving up seven runs over eight innings in his first two.

Bob Wickman finished up in the ninth for his second save for Milwaukee.