Wiemer homers, Brewers beat Pirates 5-4, take NL Central lead and stop 6-game skid

MILWAUKEE -- — Joey Wiemer homered and Blake Perkins drove in two runs as the Milwaukee Brewers held on for a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night to stop a six-game losing streak and take over first place in the NL Central.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell tried to have the game end on a pitch clock violation with the bases loaded in the ninth when Jason Delay stepped out with an 0-2 count and about 5 seconds left on the timer.

Counsell came onto the field, arms raised wide, and plate umpire Ramon DeJesus told the manager that he had ordered the clock reset before Delay left the batter's box.

“There's nothing wrong,” DeJesus said to him.

Delay then swung past an inside changeup, giving Williams his 11th save in 12 chances.

“Stuff doesn’t feel right right now, just working through it, that’s all I can do," Williams said. "I go out there and I’m expected to be locked in from the first pitch and that doesn’t always happen.”

Pittsburgh had loaded the bases on Josh Palacios' double between a pair of walks.

“That inning is just a great example of why Devin is really good at his job," Counsell said. "He was in a tough situation, still he’s completely composed and makes great pitches.”

Milwaukee (35-34) moved a half-game ahead of the Reds (35-35) and Pirates (34-34). Pittsburgh has lost four straight and is 14-26 following a 20-8 start.

Pittsburgh starter Rich Hill (6-6) allowed four runs — three earned — and three hits in five innings with six walks, one shy of his career high.

The 43-year-old left-hander struggled through a 36-pitch first inning, walking three of his first four batters and committing a pitch clock violation. A catcher's interference call on Austin Hedges put Luis Urías on first and loaded the bases. Hill forced in a run with a walk on a full-count curveball to Brian Anderson, and Perkins hit a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.

"Can’t go out there and pitch like that. Nitpicking, not executing, right out of the gate," Hill said.

Milwaukee's Julio Teheran (2-2) allowed two runs and one hit in six innings, a solo home run by Carlos Santana in the second. his third in seven games. Teheran, who pitched in the minors in 2022, has a 1.78 ERA in five starts.

William Contreras' RBI double in the fourth boosted the lead to 4-1, but Tucupita Marcano had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Wiemer put the Brewers ahead 5-2 in the bottom half, ending an 0-for-19 slide when he hit his ninth home run this season. The home run came off Carmen Mlodzinski, a 24-year-old right-hander making his major league debut. Mlodzinski was the 31st overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft.

Ke'Bryan Hayes hit a two-run single in the seventh against Elvis Peguero.

ASSISTING THE WIN

In the fourth inning, Urías crossed the foul line at third base to snag a 94 mph grounderl from Andrew McCutchen, spun 360 degrees and threw out McCutcheon at first. Urías missed 58 games after an opening day left hamstring injury before returning June 5. ... Perkins threw out Palacios from right field in the seventh as the runner tried to go first to third on Hayes’ single. ... Milwaukee’s 15 outfield assists are tied with Detroit for the major league lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: LHP Rob Zastryzny (left forearm inflammation) was put on the 15-day IL, opening a roster spot for Mlodzinski, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Brewers: DH Jesse Winker (cervical strain) will be activated sometime this weekend, Counsell said.

UP NEXT

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (8-2, 3.41 ERA) faces Brewers LHP Wade Miley (3-2, 3.67 ERA) on Saturday.

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