Blake Perkins delivers heroics in pinch, Brewers beat Pirates in 10th

The Pittsburgh Pirates got unexpected pitching performances, as a pair of newcomers combined to hold the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers to one run before their All-Star closer blew a save opportunity.

After a solid start by Bailey Falter and three perfect innings from Andre Jackson, the Pirates were in position to put away the Brewers before Sal Frelick hit a tying single in the ninth.

Blake Perkins scored the tying run in the ninth, then delivered a bases-loaded single in the 10th to lift the Brewers to a 3-2 walk-off win Saturday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

“We were in a position to win,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, “and just didn’t finish it.”

With automatic runner Victor Caratini on base, Pirates lefty Angel Perdomo intentionally walked Mark Canha and William Contreras to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 10th before Perkins sliced a single to right to clinch the comeback victory.

The Pirates were in scoring position when automatic runner Endy Rodriguez was on third base with two outs in the 10th inning, but Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams struck out Andrew McCutchen to get out of the jam.

In the ninth, Bednar gave up a leadoff single to former Pirates first baseman Carlos Santana. The Brewers sent Perkins to pinch-run for Santana, and Perkins made the bold move to tag to second base on Willy Adames’ fly out to right to put the tying run in scoring position, then advanced to third on a wild pitch in the dirt that got past Delay.

Frelick singled to left-center to score Perkins to tie the score 2-2. It was the first blown save since April 11 for Bednar, who had converted 18 consecutive save opportunities and 22 of 23 this season.

“The guys battled that long to have a game that’s within reach and not be able to close it out for them,” Bednar said. “I was just making aggressive pitches. He got a base hit, and there just happened to be a guy on third. I probably should have got ahead of him more.”

Falter drew a difficult assignment in his Pirates debut, facing 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The Pirates recalled Falter four days after acquiring the 6-foot-4, 175-pound left-hander from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade Tuesday for infielder Rodolfo Castro, optioning infielder Vinny Capra to Triple-A Indianapolis to make roster room.

Where Burnes kept the Pirates hitless through the first four innings, Falter held the Brewers scoreless through the same stretch. Falter was 0-7 with a 5.13 ERA in 40 1/3 innings over eight appearances for the Phillies but fared well in his first major-league start since May 13. He allowed one run on six hits and one walk while striking out a pair in throwing 63 pitches (41 strikes) in four innings.

“He did a nice job,” Shelton said. “He mixed and matched, executed the fastball to both sides of the plate. We knew we were probably only to get about 60 pitches, 65 pitches out of him, and he did a good job.”

Burnes allowed only one runner, on an Alika Williams walk in the third, before Liover Peguero broke up the no-hit bid with two outs in the fifth on a single to center. After Peguero stole second base — the first of his major-league career — and Williams drew another walk, Jason Delay drove in both with a double to the left-center gap for a 2-0 Pirates lead.

Falter started out aggressive before finding his tempo in the third inning, which ended with a 5-4-3 double play, and getting out of the fourth unscathed. Falter was pulled by Shelton after giving up back-to-back singles to Caratini and Brice Turang in the bottom of the fifth.

“I felt like everything was going pretty well,” Falter said. “I’ve just got to make a couple better pitches, then I feel like I can get those guys out and stay in there a little bit longer.”

Jackson, a right-hander acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash June 25, inherited two runners with no outs and threw a wild pitch that allowed both to advance. Christian Yelich grounded out to second to score Caratini to cut it to 2-1, but Jackson struck out Contreras.

“Jackson was really good,” Shelton said. “The ball came out of his hand hot. He came in in a situation, first and second, and minimized the damage.”

The Pirates failed to pad their lead, stranding a pair of runners in both the sixth, when Ke’Bryan Hayes went down looking on a full-count cutter by Burnes, and the eighth, when Alfonso Rivas struck out on an Andrew Chafin slider.

The Pirates went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base as the first six batters in their order went a combined 0 for 23 with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Jackson tossed three scoreless innings of relief and, a day after earning his first major-league victory in Friday’s 8-4 win, Yerry De Los Santos followed with a clean eighth inning.

“Anytime there’s runners on coming out of the bullpen, your job is to try to get out of there scoreless,” Jackson said. “Anytime you’re on a new team, with a situation like that, you want to leave a good first impression and try to help Bailey out there.”