PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Charlie Morton scattered three hits in 7 1-3 innings to remain unbeaten in his return from hip surgery as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 on Wednesday night.Morton (4-0) struck out six and walked three to win his fourth straight start since coming off the disabled list last month. He didn't allow a hit until Aramis Ramirez led off the fifth with a single up the middle.Pedro Alvarez hit his 10th homer of the season. Jordy Mercer and Jung Ho Kang added three hits apiece for the Pirates. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save. 
Kyle Lohse (3-7) dropped his third consecutive decision while falling to 0-3 against Pittsburgh this season. He gave up an RBI single to Starling Marte in the first and a 438-foot homer to Alvarez leading off the second.Milwaukee right fielder Ryan Braun went 0 for 2 before leaving in the top of the sixth with dizziness.Morton spent most of the second half of the 2014 season on the disabled list before undergoing surgery last September to repair a torn labrum. He struggled with his mechanics in spring training before methodically rebuilding his delivery.Morton dazzled in three minor league starts and the momentum has continued to build for a team looking for stability at the back end of its starting rotation.The 31-year-old labored in a victory over Atlanta last Friday but was crisp against the last-place Brewers. His improving curveball keeping Milwaukee off balance, Morton retired 11 straight at one point.Morton's only spot of trouble came in the eighth when a walk and a single put runners on first and second with one out. Reliever Tony Watson needed just two pitches to produce an inning-ending double play and Melancon converted his 17th straight save opportunity.DANFORTH TRIBUTEThe Pirates held a moment of silence before the game following the passing of former club CEO Douglas Danforth, who died on Tuesday at age 92 following a brief illness. Danforth helped form a public-private ownership group that helped keep the team in Pittsburgh after the Galbreath family put the club up for sale. He served as the team's chairman of the board from 1987-92."I will forever owe him a debt of gratitude," Pirates owner Bob Nutting said in a statement. "The Pirates likely would not exist in Pittsburgh had it not been for his leadership and influence."
Kyle Lohse (3-7) dropped his third consecutive decision while falling to 0-3 against Pittsburgh this season. He gave up an RBI single to Starling Marte in the first and a 438-foot homer to Alvarez leading off the second.Milwaukee right fielder Ryan Braun went 0 for 2 before leaving in the top of the sixth with dizziness.Morton spent most of the second half of the 2014 season on the disabled list before undergoing surgery last September to repair a torn labrum. He struggled with his mechanics in spring training before methodically rebuilding his delivery.Morton dazzled in three minor league starts and the momentum has continued to build for a team looking for stability at the back end of its starting rotation.The 31-year-old labored in a victory over Atlanta last Friday but was crisp against the last-place Brewers. His improving curveball keeping Milwaukee off balance, Morton retired 11 straight at one point.Morton's only spot of trouble came in the eighth when a walk and a single put runners on first and second with one out. Reliever Tony Watson needed just two pitches to produce an inning-ending double play and Melancon converted his 17th straight save opportunity.DANFORTH TRIBUTEThe Pirates held a moment of silence before the game following the passing of former club CEO Douglas Danforth, who died on Tuesday at age 92 following a brief illness. Danforth helped form a public-private ownership group that helped keep the team in Pittsburgh after the Galbreath family put the club up for sale. He served as the team's chairman of the board from 1987-92."I will forever owe him a debt of gratitude," Pirates owner Bob Nutting said in a statement. "The Pirates likely would not exist in Pittsburgh had it not been for his leadership and influence."
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