MILWAUKEE -- Yovani Gallardo's streak of scoreless innings came to an end, but thanks to a strange escape in the eighth and a late RBI single by Jonathan Lucroy, the Brewers made sure it was the only one that's over.Milwaukee won its eighth consecutive game on Saturday at Miller Park after Lucroy's go-ahead base hit to right field against Mark Melancon (0-1) lifted the Brewers to a 3-2 victory and ensured they would bring the best record in Major League Baseball (9-2) into the final game of the series. 
Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Lucroy all singled with one out against Melancon, with Braun sliding home just past the tag on a close throw from Jose Tabata in right field. The rally made a winner of reliever Jim Henderson (1-0), who worked into a major jam in the eighth but came through thanks to a crazy 2-6-1 double play.The Pirates had runners at the corners, one out and reigning National League MVP Andrew McCutchen facing Henderson. McCutchen sent a high pop fly behind the plate caught by Lucroy, who fired to shortstop Jean Segura when he saw Travis Snider bolt from first to second. With Starling Marte then electing to head home, Segura grabbed the throw and fired back to the plate, where Henderson applied the tag to end the threat.Gallardo's scoreless-innings streak to start the season ended at 14 2/3 innings, good for the fifth-best beginning to a season in franchise history, when former Brewer Travis Ishikawa doubled and scored in the third. McCutchen added a two-out RBI single in the frame to knot the score at 2.Gallardo came away with a no-decision, having allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings. He walked one batter and faced the minimum three batters in four innings.Carlos Gomez, who was presented with his 2013 Gold Glove Award in a ceremony before the game, crushed a home run to start the game against Edinson Volquez (0-1) for his team-leading fourth bomb of the season and second leadoff blast of 2014.Khris Davis reached on an error in the second and scored on a wild pitch with two outs and Gallardo at the plate in the second. Francisco Rodriguez notched his fourth save.JR Radcliffe /MLB.com
Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Lucroy all singled with one out against Melancon, with Braun sliding home just past the tag on a close throw from Jose Tabata in right field. The rally made a winner of reliever Jim Henderson (1-0), who worked into a major jam in the eighth but came through thanks to a crazy 2-6-1 double play.The Pirates had runners at the corners, one out and reigning National League MVP Andrew McCutchen facing Henderson. McCutchen sent a high pop fly behind the plate caught by Lucroy, who fired to shortstop Jean Segura when he saw Travis Snider bolt from first to second. With Starling Marte then electing to head home, Segura grabbed the throw and fired back to the plate, where Henderson applied the tag to end the threat.Gallardo's scoreless-innings streak to start the season ended at 14 2/3 innings, good for the fifth-best beginning to a season in franchise history, when former Brewer Travis Ishikawa doubled and scored in the third. McCutchen added a two-out RBI single in the frame to knot the score at 2.Gallardo came away with a no-decision, having allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings. He walked one batter and faced the minimum three batters in four innings.Carlos Gomez, who was presented with his 2013 Gold Glove Award in a ceremony before the game, crushed a home run to start the game against Edinson Volquez (0-1) for his team-leading fourth bomb of the season and second leadoff blast of 2014.Khris Davis reached on an error in the second and scored on a wild pitch with two outs and Gallardo at the plate in the second. Francisco Rodriguez notched his fourth save.JR Radcliffe /MLB.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
