Jul 15, 2002 4 min read

MILWAUKEE(AP) – As long as Jose Hernandez continues to produce offensively like he has been, the Milwaukee Brewers won’t mind if he also sets the single-season strikeout record. Hernandez, who turned 33 Sunday, hit two home runs and drove in four runs as the Brewers posted a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The day capped a week that saw Hernandez play in his first All-Star Game.

“I think I’ve been celebrating my birthday ever since the All-Star Game,” he said.

Hernandez hit a three-run home run in the second and added a solo homer in the seventh. Despite being on pace to strike out 201 times and break Bobby Bonds’ single-season strike out record of 189, Hernandez leads National League shortstops with 17 homers and 46 RBIs. Hernandez is trying to be more selective with two strikes this season, and is hitting .290, above his lifetime average of .248 coming into the season.

“I still swing at bad pitches, but when I get two strikes I can probably let a bad pitch go,” he said. “I hope I can do it all the time. But I’m only human.”

Ruben Quevedo (5-6) gave up three runs in five innings, and four relievers combined to allow one hit over the final four innings for the Brewers. Mike DeJean pitched out of a ninth-inning jam for his 16th save in 19 opportunities.

With one out, DeJean walked Jason Kendall, and Jack Wilson’s groundout moved him to second. With first base open, Brewers manager Jerry Royster opted to intentionally walk Brian Giles. Giles had homered in each of the first three games of the series.

“Giles is just scary when he’s standing up there,” Royster said. “I wasn’t going to let him beat us again. Under no circumstances was he going to beat us in that situation.”

DeJean got Aramis Ramirez to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

Left-hander Joe Beimel (1-4) gave up four runs – three earned – in six innings. It was only the sixth time in 23 games that the Brewers have won when facing a left-handed starter.

Pittsburgh, which had won its first six games this year at Miller Park, took a 1-0 lead in the second when Kevin Young hit his 12th homer. He has homered in three consecutive games.

Hernandez’s homer gave the Brewers the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Alex Ochoa singled. Ryan Thompson followed with a sharp grounder to short that could have been a doubleplay to end the inning, but Jack Wilson booted it for an error. Hernandez then homered to give Milwaukee a 3-1 lead.

“We had a doubleplay ball that we didn’t convert,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It’s unfortunate that it cost us three runs.”

Milwaukee made it 4-1 in the fourth. Ochoa reached on a fielder’s choice. Thompson singled and Hernandez walked to load the bases. Robert Machado followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left, scoring Ochoa.

Pittsburgh pulled within one in the fifth. Pokey Reese led off with a single, moved to second on Beimel’s sacrifice and to third on Kendall’s groundout.

Jack Wilson’s RBI single scored Reese to make it 4-2.

Giles singled, moving Jack Wilson to third, and Ramirez followed with an RBI single, moving Giles to second. Quevedo then struck out Craig Wilson to end the inning.

Hernandez led off the seventh with a homer off Josias Manzanillo, making his first appearance since returning from an elbow injury.

NOTES: Pirates 3B Ramirez has only 29 RBIs this season after driving home 112 last season. … Brewers CF Jeffrey Hammonds was scratched from the starting lineup due to a stiff neck. … Pirates C Kendall has thrown out only 14 of 47 runners attempting to steal this season. … Brewers 1B Richie Sexson returned to the starting lineup Sunday after missing two games to rest his sore left hamstring.