URL: https://walworthcountytoday.com/20150902/brewers_win_fifth_straight_over_pirates

Brewers win fifth straight over Pirates

Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs and extended his hitting streak to a career high-tying 10 games as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates for the fifth straight time, 9-4 Wednesday night. 

The fourth-place Brewers have won seven of their last eight against Pittsburgh, which leads the NL wild-card race. 

Adam Lind homered, singled and drove in two runs for Milwaukee. 

Reliever Jeremy Jeffress (4-0) picked up the win after tossing a perfect seventh and eighth innings. He came in with a 6-4 lead and was awarded the victory — starter Zach Davies lasted only 4 1-3 innings in his big league debut. 

Jeff Locke (7-9) was tagged for five runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings. 

Former Brewers star Aramis Ramirez drove in all four runs for the Pirates, including a three-run homer in the fourth. 

Ramirez added an RBI double in the fifth in his first series at Miller Park since being dealt to Pittsburgh in late July. 

Ramirez homered for the second straight night, though the applause from the still-appreciative Milwaukee crowd wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the ovation he received on Tuesday. 

The loudest cheers were reserved for Lucroy after two-out, two-run single in the fourth snapped a 3-3 tie and chased Locke. The fans serenaded him with a cry of “Luuuuc” after he reached first base. 

Lucroy, Lind and Scooter Gennett combined for five two-out RBIs. 

Locke had a 2.53 ERA in three previous starts this year against Milwaukee. 

Davies didn't last much longer. He cruised through his first three innings before struggling the second time through the Pirates order. 

TRAINER'S ROOM 

Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli spent a couple minutes sitting near the plate in pain after a foul tip by Elian Herrera ricocheted off his lower right leg in the second inning. Cervelli stayed in the game. 

UP NEXT 

Pirates: Francisco Liriano (9-6) is 8-2 with a 2.89 ERA in 17 starts since giving up a season-high seven runs on May 19 against Minnesota. The left-hander is 6-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 14 career games against Milwaukee. 

Brewers: Taylor Jungmann (8-5) has been one of the top rookie starters in the league since making his debut on June 9 at Pittsburgh, when the right-hander gave up three hits and struck out five in a 4-1 win. Opponents are batting .227 against him this season.