Yelich homers twice and the Brewers hold off the Pirates 8-5 after a long rain delay

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Christian Yelich homered twice and the Milwaukee Brewers breezed past the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 in a game interrupted by rain Thursday night.

Yelich hit a three-run drive against rookie Mike Burrows (0-1) in the first inning and a solo shot off reliever Isaac Mattson in the sixth for the 11th multi-homer game of his career. Joey Ortiz added his second home run this season for the Brewers. Sal Frelick provided some breathing room with a late two-run single.

Carlos Rodriguez (1-0) struck out Bryan Reynolds with two on and two out in the sixth following a rain delay of 1 hour, 50 minutes, to earn his first major league victory. Trevor Megill came on with two on and no outs in the ninth to secure his eighth save.

Milwaukee’s Aaron Civale gave up two runs and four hits over four innings in his first start since going to the injured list in late March with a strained hamstring.

Spencer Horwitz had two hits for the Pirates, including a solo shot to right-center leading off the fourth for his first home run since being acquired by Pittsburgh in the offseason. Horwitz added an RBI groundout in the ninth to help the Pirates avoid making a bit of unwanted history.

Milwaukee Brewers’ Joey Ortiz, right, celebrates with third base coach Jason Lane (40) as he rounds third base after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mike Burrows during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh had gone 26 games without scoring at least five runs, tying the team with four others for the longest such streak of futility in MLB history.

Burrows, called up Wednesday after Pittsburgh sent struggling Carmen Mlodzinski to Triple-A Indianapolis, had some early jitters. The 25-year-old right-hander gave up four runs during his first trip through the Brewers’ order before retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced.

Key moment

Rodriguez surprisingly stayed on the hill after the long delay. He promptly fanned Reynolds at the end of a seven-pitch at-bat to end Pittsburgh’s last legitimate threat.

Key stat

Milwaukee Brewers’ Joey Ortiz celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mike Burrows during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

April 23 — the previous time Pittsburgh scored at least five runs in a game. The Pirates went 8-18 during their run of futility at the plate.

Up next

The series continues Friday when Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes (3-5, 2.44 ERA) — who won’t be traded anytime soon — faces Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta (5-3, 2.59).