Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbooks) - Ryan Braun homered and knocked in three runs to help the
Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Pirates, 6-3, in the second game of a weekend series at Miller Park.
Jeff Suppan (9-7) improved to 4-0 in August, going seven-plus strong innings and allowing three runs and eight hits with three strikeouts. Salomon Torres pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save of the year.
Braun finished the game 2-for-4 while also scoring two runs, while Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy each scored two runs to give the Brewers their third straight win.
Milwaukee was able to remain 4 1/2 games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs, who beat Washington earlier Saturday, but increased its wild-card lead to 3 1/2 games after St. Louis was beaten by Atlanta.
Tom Gorzelanny (6-8) didn't fare too well in his return to the big leagues. The southpaw allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in his first start since July 4 -- also against Milwaukee -- fanning three and walking three to take the loss.
Adam LaRoche went 2-for-4 with a homer while Raul Chavez and Nyjer Morgan each had two hits apiece for Pittsburgh, which lost for the seventh time in nine games.
The Brewers got on the board in the first. Weeks singled and Hardy walked to start things off. Two batters later Prince Fielder lined a single to center to score Weeks. Corey Hart followed with a sacrifice fly for an early 2-0 lead.
Suppan got out of a big jam in the third. Freddy Sanchez doubled and Chavez singled to put runners at the corners. But, Gorzelanny grounded into a fielder's choice, Morgan lined out to third and Jack Wilson struck out to end the inning.
Braun's 32nd home run of the season to lead off the fourth gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead.
Milwaukee added three runs in the fifth on some two-out magic. After the first two batters flied out, Weeks walked and Hardy reached on an infield single. Braun then hit a two-RBI double and Fielder followed with an RBI single to make it 6-0 and end Gorzelanny's day.
The Pirates cut the lead to four in the sixth when Brandon Moss hit an RBI groundout to score Morgan, who had doubled. LaRoche followed with a solo homer to make it 6-2.
Pinch-hitter Chris Gomez led off the Pittsburgh eighth with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI groundout from Wilson.
Game Notes
Brewers lead season series 7-1...Nate McClouth sat out tonight's game with a stomach virus...The Pirates reinstated reliever Matt Capps from the disabled list and recalled Gorzelanny from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to Saturday's game...The Brewers are 40-24 at home.
