Yelich homers twice, Brewers get back on track with 9-7 victory

PITTSBURGH — Christian Yelich hit two home runs and took over the major league lead with 39, powering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.

Yelich homered in the first inning for the second straight game. The first of his four hits came on a sinker by Dario Agrazal (2-3), and he sent it 408 feet into the bleachers in left. He also hit a solo homer in the first inning against the Cubs on Sunday. In the ninth inning, Yelich crushed a slider from Geoff Hartlieb 425 feet onto the river walk beyond right field to make the score 9-6.

It was Yelich’s sixth career multi-homer game, and his fourth this season.

Brewers starter Jordan Lyles (7-7) limited his former team to three runs (one earned) on two hits in five innings in his first start against the Pirates since being traded on July 29.

Lyles walked two and didn’t allow a hit through the first three innings. Bryan Reynolds led off the fourth with the 10th homer of his rookie season, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 5-1. Pablo Reyes hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer to left off Lyles in the fifth to make it 5-3.

In his last outing for the Pirates, Lyles allowed eight runs (five earned) on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings of a 14-8 loss to St. Louis on July 24. He was 5-7 with a 5.36 ERA for Pittsburgh this season.

The Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak and entered as losers of six of the last seven games.

The Pirates are last in the NL Central after falling to 4-19 since the All-Star break.

Brewers closer Josh Hader got the final four outs for his 25th save. He struck out two before giving up a two-out double to Reynolds and a triple to Starling Marte as the Pirates closed to 9-7 in the ninth.

Agrazal lost a third straight start for Pittsburgh, lasting five innings while allowing five runs on eight hits. Four runs came in the fourth, including one on a homer from Mike Moustakas, his 27th, that put the Brewers ahead 2-0.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Aug. 3 with back spasms. Manager Craig Counsell said he does not think Davies’ recovery will be long-term. … RHP Jake Faria and RHP Devin Williams were recalled from Triple-A San Antonio, and RHP Aaron Wilkerson was optioned to San Antonio.

Pirates: RHP Richard Rodriguez is expected to return Tuesday after being placed on the paternity list Saturday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.73) will look to allow fewer than three runs in a ninth straight game when he faces Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (3-1, 4.15) will pitch for the first time in more than a month when he takes the mound Tuesday. After allowing one run on three hits in four innings against Milwaukee on July 5, Brault was placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain.