PIRATES 3, BREWERS 1

NOVA SETTLES IN TO DOMINATE BREWERS IN VICTORY

Two hitters into the game, Ivan Nova looked like he might be in for a long night. Turns out, he wasn't.

After giving up a home run to Christian Yelich with one out in the first, Nova allowed just three hits over the next five-plus innings to propel the Pirates to a 3-1 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park on Saturday.

strong, and then I got the job done."

Nova, who tossed six scoreless innings in his previous start, struck out four and walked one to even his record at 9-9. His consecutive victories have come on the heels of three straight losses. Felipe Vazquez wiggled out of two-on, no-out jam in the ninth inning for his 23rd consecutive save and 33rd of the season.

Nova's night appeared as though it could've gotten worse later in the Brewers' lineup, as second baseman Travis Shaw entered the game 12-for-16 with three home runs in his career against Nova. Nova retired Shaw on a groundout to short in the first inning, struck him out in the fourth and induced a flyout to right to end the sixth with a runner on base.

The Pirates erased the 1-0 deficit with RBI doubles in the second and fourth innings off Milwaukee starter Zach Davies. Colin Moran sliced an opposite-field RBI double into the left-field corner to drive in Corey Dickerson in the second inning. In the fourth, Josh Bell legged out a single on a grounder to Shaw, which was followed by Francisco Cervelli lining another double down the left-field line, which Bell scored on thanks to a head-first slide just ahead of throw.

The Pirates made it 3-1 in the sixth after Starling Marte doubled to open and Bell walked. They executed a double steal, with Marte continuing home when the throw from catcher Erik Kratz to second base bounced into center field.

After Richard Rodriguez and Kyle Crick each threw a scoreless inning, Vazquez came on in the ninth and was greeted by Ryan Braun's pinch-hit single to right, and Jesus Aguilar followed with a single to left-center. Mike Moustakas then lined to short, with Braun narrowly avoiding being doubled off second base. Pinch-hitter Domingo Santana flied out to center, with Braun advancing to third, but Vazquez ended the game by striking out Jonathan Schoop.

MOMENT THAT MATTERED

Before Vazquez's great escape in the ninth inning, Rodriguez dealt with trouble of his own when he relieved Nova in the seventh with a 3-1 lead. He promptly surrendered a double to Aguilar, who then advanced to third on a wild pitch with no outs. But Rodriguez kept the Brewers off the board, striking out Moustakas, retiring Kratz on popup to first, and striking out pinch-hitter Schoop on three pitches.

CERVELLI, HURDLE EJECTED

Cervelli was ejected in the sixth inning by home-plate umpire Tripp Gibson III after being called out on strikes. Pittsburgh had already scored in the inning off Brewers reliever Jacob Barnes and had a runner on second base when Cervelli fell behind 1-2 and fouled off two pitches. He took a ball to even the count but then was called out on a fastball on the inside corner. Hurdle came out and also was ejected by Gibson.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Reliever Keone Kela won’t pitch again this season. The right-hander worked a scoreless inning in his last appearance on Sept. 3 at Atlanta. His 52 innings are the most since a career-high 60 1/3 innings in 2015. “Enough has been accomplished,” Hurdle said of Kela’s high-leverage situations and workload. … C Elias Diaz has not played since leaving the game in Atlanta on Aug. 31 with right hamstring discomfort. He has begun running the bases.

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson, on the 60-day DL after right shoulder surgery, is to pitch batting practice at the Brewers’ complex in Phoenix.

UP NEXT

PIRATES: RHP Trevor Williams (12-9, 3.28 ERA) is 3-0 in his last four road starts going into Sunday and has not allowed a run in three of the four.

BREWERS: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (14-7, 3.54 ERA) is 0-2 with a 2.28 ERA in four starts against Pittsburgh this season.