PITTSBURGH (AP) – Starling Marte homered for the second game in a row and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates over the slumping Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 Saturday night.
The Brewers lost their fourth straight game and are off to their worst start since also going 2-9 in 2002.
Marte hit a two-run single to cap a three-run first inning that included an RBI double by Gregory Polanco. Marte’s three-run homer to left field in the fifth made it 6-1.
In the first two games of the series, Marte has gone 4 for 8 with seven RBIs. He was 0 for 11 with six strikeouts in his previous three games.
Jeff Locke (2-0) tied a career-high by pitching eight innings while beating the Brewers for the second time in eight days. He allowed only one run and four hits while striking six with no walks.
Kyle Lohse (0-3) has lost his first three starts of a season for the first time in his 15-year career. He was tagged for six runs and six hits in six innings.
Ryan Braun, batting leadoff for the first time in his career, and Jean Segura each two of the Brewers’ five hits. Jonathan Lucroy hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning and Khris Davis singled in a run in the ninth.
The Pirates have gone 4-1 against the Brewers this season and 1-5 against everyone else.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton (right hip surgery) threw 55 pitches in a simulated game Saturday at the extended spring training camp in Bradenton, Florida. He was supposed to pitch in a game against Yankees minor leaguers at Tampa, but it was called off.
UP NEXT
Milwaukee’s Matt Garza (1-1) faces Gerrit Cole (1-0) on Sunday in the finale of the three-game series. Garza is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA against Pittsburgh in eight career starts. Cole has won his last five decisions, dating to Sept. 1, and is 1-2 with a 3.27 ERA against the Brewers in five career starts.
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