The Milwaukee Brewers climbed back to within 3 1/2 games of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the final National League wild card spot by blanking the Pirates 1-0 on Saturday night at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
The Brewers didn’t score the game winner until a sacrifice fly in the top of the 9th.
Matt Garza hit Andrew McCutchen in the third inning and Pittsburgh’s Edinson Volquez responded in the fourth by throwing way inside to Ryan Braun leading off the fourth. Both benches were warned at that point. So when Garza hit McCutchen again in the fifth inning, he was ejected from the game. So was his manager Ron Roenicke.
Six Brewers relievers kept the Pirates off the scoreboard after Garza’s ejection. Logan Schafer then delivered a sacrifice fly to left to give the Brewers the win.
Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect bottom of the ninth to notch his 43rd save and 347th of his career, which ties him for 10th on the all-time list with Randy Myers.
The Brewers and Pirates close out the series today. Wily Peralta (16-10, 3.70) pitches for the Brewers. Vance Worley (7-4, 3.18) goes for Pittsburgh.