Pirates drop home finale at PNC Park to Aaron Civale, Brewers
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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates' Bryan De La Cruz (41) is greeted by Nick Gonzales after hitting a two-run home run off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Nick Mears during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, left, welcomes Bryan De La Cruz (41) back to the dugout after hitting a two-run home off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Nick Mears during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Nick Mears delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton stands on the dugout steps during the second inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Liover Peguero has a double hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz bounce off his glove during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz (3) slides safely into third ahead of the relay throw to Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa with a triple off starting pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz celebrates as he stands on third base after hitting a triple off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz (3) doubles off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Colin Holderman, driving in a run, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Aaron Civale delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Aaron Civale delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH — Aaron Civale pitched six scoreless innings in his last start before the postseason and Joey Ortiz was a home run short of the cycle as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Thursday.
Mitch Keller (11-12) lost his final start of the year, giving up three runs and six hits in five innings in the Pirates’ home finale. After the All-Star break, Keller went 1-7 with a 5.65 ERA in 12 starts.
“Up and down, up and down,” Keller said of his season. “There’s definitely a lot of highlights up there and definitely a lot of lowlights. But overall, a lot of good things to look back on and a lot of things to keep working for. I don’t know, it’s weird. I’m happy with it and also disappointed in some areas, too.”
Bryan De La Cruz broke up the Brewers’ shutout bid with a two-run home run in the seventh inning off Nick Mears, but the Pirates lost for the ninth time in 13 games. They finished with a 39-42 home record.
Nick Gonzales had two hits for the Pirates.
The Pirates had a season attendance of 1,720,321, nearly 100,000 more than last year and their best mark since 2017. Much of the attendance spike was attributable to the emergence of rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.
Civale (8-9) allowed three hits, struck out five and walked one. He is 6-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his last nine starts.
“He just continues to impress me as a pitcher,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “In this day and age to see a pitcher like that … he had pinpoint control today.”
Ortiz, a rookie third baseman, tripled in the third inning and came home on Brice Turang’s ground out to open the scoring. Ortiz also doubled in a run in the sixth to increase the Brewers’ lead to 5-0.
The National League Central champion Brewers will open a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series at home starting Tuesday. They finish the regular season by hosting the contending New York Mets in a three-game series that begins Friday night.
Murphy would not commit to having Civale start in the wild-card round but sounded like he is leaning that way.
“I think the fact he’s got some years under his belt,” Murphy said. “He does provide an answer to navigate some innings against any kind of hitters. I think there’s a case for him for sure.”
Civale is just happy to be headed to the postseason after being acquired from Tampa Bay on July 3 in a trade.
“Everything has been good about it,” Civale said of being with the Brewers. “I’m just fortunate to have the opportunity here. I’m just enjoying the ride and taking it start by start.”
The Brewers have won five of their last seven games and went 46-35 on the road this season.
Blake Perkins and Gary Sanchez had two hits each for the Brewers and Turang drove in two runs. Devin Williams pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 14th save in 15 opportunities.
Eric Haase doubled in a run in the fifth inning then scored on Turang’s single to make it 3-0. Milwaukee added to the lead in the sixth on RBI doubles by Perkins and Ortiz.
Brewers: Mears (right forearm inflammation) was activated from the 15-day injured list and RHP Kevin Herget was optioned to Triple-A Nashville.
Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (6-8, 4.14) will start the opener of a three-game series Friday night in New York against Yankees LHP Carlos Rodon (16-9, 3.98).
