Brewers bullpen strong in 4-3 win over Pirates

George Kottaras, playing only because of an injury, doubled in a run and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied from a three-run deficit to end a nine-game losing streak, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Thursday night.

Hours after general manager Doug Melvin strongly supported manager Ken Macha, the Brewers came back from 3-0 deficit in the first with a pair of two-run innings. Carlos Villanueva finished it off by pitching the ninth for the first save this season by a Brewers reliever other than Trevor Hoffman, who sat out the two-game series to work on mechanical problems.

Villanueva hit pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit in the back with a pitch with one out, only to get Delwyn Young to ground into a game-ending double play.