Bullpen falters as Pirates lose opener in Milwaukee, 5-2
MILWAUKEE (AP) – At 36, Jeff Cirillo has transformed himself into the wise veteran who tries to stay young by occasionally hiking up his socks or blowing chewing-gum bubbles at home plate. He’s also become the guy the Milwaukee Brewers turn to when they need a big hit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on opening day.
Cirillo delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single in the seventh inning and Milwaukee won 5-2 Monday, spoiling Jim Tracy’s debut as Pittsburgh’s manager.
Cirillo’s tiebreaking single Monday came off Damaso Marte, the winning pitcher in Game 3 of last year’s World Series for the Chicago White Sox.
Carlos Lee provided some extra excitement with a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
Brewers reliever Justin Lehr got just his third major league win, pitching one hitless inning. Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow finished with a one-hit ninth for the save.
Pittsburgh, which outhit the Brewers 7-6, squandered an impressive outing by starter Oliver Perez, who allowed one run and three hits in 5 1-3 innings. Perez struck out nine and even helped his team at the plate with an RBI single in the second.
Perez’s strong outing was in stark contrast to last season’s opening-day appearance against the Brewers in Pittsburgh, when Milwaukee roughed him up for six runs in five-plus innings.
Tracy said he took Perez out of the game because he had thrown 95 pitches and did not want his left-hander to have a chance to be saddled with a loss.
“He got stronger as the game went on,” Tracy said. “He was throwing quality pitches as he got further into the game.”
Perez also contributed at the plate with an RBI single in the second inning that tied the score 1-1.
Brewers starter Doug Davis gave up two runs in six innings.
With the bases loaded, Humberto Cota hit a ground ball up the middle, where it was fielded on the run by second baseman Rickie Weeks. He flipped the ball behind his back with his bare hand to J.J. Hardy covering at second, but Castillo was called safe and Sean Casey scored for a 2-1 Pittsburgh lead.
NOTES: With temperatures in the 40s, Miller Park’s retractable roof was closed. … It was the Brewers’ first season opener at home since 1995. … Monday’s attendance was 45,023, the third-largest crowd ever in Miller Park and the largest on opening day.