Pirates' bats erupt with five home runs in 12-2 win over Brewers
Joey Bart hit a grand slam and the Pittsburgh Pirates scored six runs in the sixth inning to storm past the Milwaukee Brewers 12-2 on Tuesday night.
All-Star Bryan Reynolds, Rowdy Tellez, Jack Suwinski and Joshua Palacios also homered for the Pirates, who won in Milwaukee for just the 12th time in 42 games since 2019. The five home runs were a season-high surrendered by Brewers pitching. Pittsburgh has hit 15 home runs in its last five games.
"We continued to have good swings and added on throughout the game," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "I'm really proud of the whole group. Just really consistent at-bats."
The Pirates have homered in 12 consecutive games at American Family Field.
"Good visuals. Good backdrop," Reynolds said. "It's just a good park to hit in."
Quinn Priester (1-5) pitched six innings in relief to get the win, giving up one earned run and four hits with a career-high eight strikeouts.
"It was great to be a part of the win and help the guys out," Priester said. "The offense was plentiful, so it was easy to go out there."
Bart's second career grand slam and the team's seventh this season, matching the Brewers major league-leading total, came after the Pirates loaded the bases against Colin Rea (8-3), who pitched seven scoreless innings in his previous start on Wednesday at Colorado. Bryse Wilson relieved Rea and worked a 2-2 count to Bart before surrendering the grand slam.
"It happened quick," said Rea, who gave up seven runs and six hits in five innings. "I felt like things were rolling pretty good and I felt like I executed pitches in the sixth inning but I wouldn't say they were particularly sharp and they found some holes."
Reynolds hit a two-run home run, his 17th of the season, with two outs in the third. Tellez hit his 100th career home run in the seventh. Suwinski connected for his ninth of the season and Palacios his second in the eighth.
"It's just special. It's surreal to do it where I played the most," said Tellez, who played 314 games for the Brewers. "It's an honor to be able to play long enough to hit 100. There's a lot of stuff off the field that makes it special for me. Everything I went through to get to the big leagues."
The NL Central Division-leading Brewers, who drew three walks and stole two bases in the first but failed to score against Pirates opener Josh Fleming, tied it in their half of the third on run-scoring hits by William Contreras and Blake Perkins.
ROSTER MOVES
The Pirates activated Priester from the 15-day injured list (lat injury) and optioned OF Edward Olivares to Triple-A Indianapolis. LHP Justin Bruihl, who was designated for assignment on July 7, cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Indianapolis.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Pirates: Oneil Cruz, who was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of Monday night's game because of hamstring tightness, was out of the lineup.
Brewers: RHP Devin Williams, who has been out all season with stress fractures in his back, threw a live batting practice session before Tuesday's game. "Encouraging," manager Pat Murphy said. … DL Hall (left knee sprain) left what was to be a final rehab start for Triple-A Nashville after being struck by a comebacker. Hall gave up three hits and one run in two innings with two walks and five strikeouts.
UP NEXT
LHP Martín Pérez (1-4, 4.85 ERA), who has received one run or less of support in eight of his last nine starts, will pitch for the Pirates. RHP Tobias Myers (5-3, 3.52) gets the start for the Brewers.
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