Apr 17, 2002 2 min read

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Jimmy Anderson allowed three hits in seven innings and Brian Giles homered as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Milwaukee 5-1 Tuesday night, handing the Brewers their ninth loss in 10 games. Pittsburgh has won six straight road games and is 8-5 – the Pirates’ best start in three years. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning April since 1994.

Anderson (2-1) retired the first 11 batters before Jeffrey Hammonds doubled and Richie Sexson walked. Anderson retired Alex Ochoa on a grounder to end the threat. Anderson struck out four and walked two.

Giles hit a 438-foot home run, his third of the year, in the first inning off Neugebauer (0-2) for a 1-0 lead.

The Brewers tied it in the fifth when Geoff Jenkins led off with his second home run of the season.

Pokey Reese doubled to start the sixth, advanced to third on a groundout by Giles and scored on a wild pitch by Neugebauer for a 2-1 lead.

Neugebauer was lifted after six innings. He allowed three hits before tiring in the sixth when he walked two after Reese scored the go-ahead run. Neugebauer ended his night by inducing a double play grounder from Jason Kendall.

The Pirates made it 3-1 in the eighth when Adrian Brown and Reese singled to start the inning. Brown took third on a flyball by Giles and scored on Aramis Ramirez’s groundout.

Pinch-hitter Rob Mackowiak hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 5-1.

NOTES: Milwaukee LHP Ray King (elbow) will start a rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple A Indianapolis. … Anderson’s single in the third inning gave him three hits in his first six at-bats this season. … The Pirates signed INF Kevin Sefcik, who was with Tampa Bay in spring training. He’ll report to Double-A Altoona. … Milwaukee lost four one-run games on its six-game road trip last week. The Pirates are 6-1 in games decided by two runs or fewer. … The Pirates committed only four errors in their first 12 games this year. They made 12 errors in their first 12 games in 2001.