No dice: Steelers aren't at their best yet, and they know it

Jeremy FowlerESPN Staff Writerhttp://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/September 17, 2017

Martavis Bryant scores on a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter (http://www.steelers.com/photos/)

PITTSBURGH -- In the first half Sunday, back-to-back touchdown celebrations involving receivers and an imaginary dice game signaled a much-anticipated explosion for the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense.

By the fourth quarter, Le'Veon Bell let out a long sigh after hitting a sea of purple for no gain, the sideline looked sluggish, and promising drives ended in field goals.

Not many expected the Steelers' rebuilt defense to outshine the other side of the ball through two games, but that's the reality during Pittsburgh's 2-0 start and a 26-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Grinding out wins isn't such a bad thing.

"We're not BCS-pointing it here," Ben Roethlisberger said. "We're 2-0. We did what we had to do."

To be sure, Sam Bradford's knee injury and inactive status played a factor. So did the Vikings' impressive pass rush, which gave Ben Roethlisberger little time to execute his signature evasive moves once the pocket collapsed.

But with the Steelers' playmakers, the standard is 30 points per game. That's their yearly goal, especially in Heinz Field, where the points are more plentiful. Instead, the offense has 40 total points heading into Week 3 against the Chicago Bears.

It's not that the offense is struggling, to be sure. Roethlisberger finished with 243 yards and two scores, but you might as well tack on an extra 70 on two drawn pass-interference penalties off deep-ball attempts.

It's just not thriving like it should -- or eventually will -- be. Failing to convert eight of their first 11 third downs won't be good enough. Emblematic of the day: The Steelers drove 64 yards late in the fourth quarter, missed on a rollout play, missed on an attempt to Eli Rogers over the middle and settled for Chris Boswell's 37-yard field goal.

At least no turnovers and fewer penalties is progress.

Asked how long he expects the Steelers' offense to be in wait-and-see mode, Roethlisberger said "hopefully it's done."

"You can say we’re not on the same page, not in sync, but I’ll give credit to that defense first," Roethlisberger said.

Martavis Bryant's welcome-back game also was definitely progress. His 91-yard performance on three catches flashed 2015 form, turning a routine slant route into a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter thanks to his breakaway speed, which is still very much intact. "Open grass," said Bryant about the play.

Antonio Brown and Bryant going off at the same time will mean liftoff for this passing attack. In Week 1, Brown went wild for 182 yards while Bryant stayed quiet. Bryant came alive Sunday, but Brown needed a late fourth-quarter drive to eclipse the 50-yard mark.

The Steelers attempted several deep balls because the Vikings' safeties play closer to the line of scrimmage. Brown and Bryant each drew a hold on deep attempts. "DBs panic" when Bryant gets behind them, Roethlisberger said.

"Whoever is playing against us just has to pick their poison," Bryant said. "If they are double-teaming me, A.B., Eli [Rogers], JuJu [Smith-Schuster], we've always got guys on the field who can make plays and we've got a great quarterback."

The Steelers promised to feed Bell (27 carries, 87 yards), who did his best getting positive yards without major holes through which to burst. This was a hard day's work for Bell. The Vikings' front is very good. The Steelers' offensive line has been adequate but not quite the prolific group it was a year ago, at least not yet. Sometimes that process takes time. The Steelers' line was at its best on pulling plays Sunday, getting downfield in a hurry.

Bell was glad to get a healthy dose of carries but is still waiting to pop a long run. Bell's longest run Sunday was 11 yards, compared to 15 in Week 1.

"I'm due for an explosion play," Bell said. "It hasn't happen yet. I think I might have had three today but those guys made a couple of tackles."

Overall, the Steelers have to be pleased with a defense that's allowed just one passing touchdown through eight quarters. Consistent pressure with four primary rushers, coupled with the occasional timely linebacker or corner blitz, has prevented big gains for quarterbacks DeShone Kizer and Case Keenum, who was blitzed on one of his first 10 dropbacks.

The next three quarterbacks on the schedule: Mike Glennon, Joe Flacco and Blake Bortles. The true ability of this rebuilt defense won't show until the quality of opponent improves. But the start to the season couldn't be much better for this group. Young pass-rushers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree have combined for three sacks in two games, while defensive end Cam Heyward looks to be in prime form.

The Steelers didn't know Bradford wouldn't play until Sunday morning. The Vikings' nine-point final is "too much," Heyward said.

"I want to see that goose egg every single time we're out there," Heyward said. "We just have to keep challenging ourselves."

Summer's over; Champion Penguins warily eye "Three-peat"

By The Associated Press

http://www.nydailynews.com/

September 15, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, right, and Evgeni Malkin (71) participate in a scrimmage during the NHL hockey team's first practice in Cranberry, Pa., Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — A month. That's it. That's all the down time Sidney Crosby afforded himself following one of the more dominant runs in hockey history.

At the end of an equal parts thrilling and draining two-year stretch that included over 200 games, a World Cup of hockey gold medal for Team Canada and a pair of Stanley Cup parades through downtown Pittsburgh, the Penguins captain managed to squeeze — or maybe tolerate is the better word — four weeks off during another abbreviated summer.

More than enough, Crosby insists, for the fire that burns within to start anew.

"It's a pretty short offseason, but short offseasons are good," Crosby said Friday as the Penguins began training camp. "Having that type of hockey fresh in your mind isn't necessarily a bad thing either."

Not when the prospect of history beckons. Pittsburgh became the first team in nearly two decades to repeat as champions when they ended Nashville's stunning run to the Cup final last spring. No club since the New York Islanders of the early 1980s has captured three consecutive Cups.

Not Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and the 1980s Edmonton Oilers. Not Crosby's boss, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux, who came up short in Pittsburgh's bid for a three-peat in 1993. Not Crosby's idol, Hall of Fame center Steve Yzerman, who couldn't get out of the conference semifinals with Detroit in 1999.

Crosby, who turned 30 in August, welcomes the opportunity but also didn't spend July and August pondering what another raucous Cup victory would mean to his own burgeoning legacy.

"You've got a window to be a professional hockey player and you just want to enjoy that and give my absolute best in that time frame," Crosby said. "And I think just being able to be on a winning team last year, coming back and see a lot of the same faces and have that fresh in your mind and want that again, that's enough motivation."

Not every face is the same. While Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford deftly kept the group that won it all in 2016 largely intact, no amount of creative accounting could help the Penguins avoid the reality that success comes at a substantial cost in the salary-cap era.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was sent to expansion Las Vegas following the rise of Matt Murray. Trevor Daley bolted for a big contract in Detroit. Nick Bonino did the same in Nashville. Chris Kunitz took a one-year deal in Tampa. Matt Cullen put off retirement one more year so he could have a last hurrah in his native Minnesota.

"You really miss those guys but that being said you can't wallow in self-pity when they're not here or long after them like a heartbroken lover if you will," Pittsburgh defenseman Ian Cole said. "Those guys will certainly be missed. If you said anything else you'd be lying. But it's something that's the name of the game and that's the business that we're in."

One the Penguins stress will not prevent them from setting their sights on another extended playoff stay, preferably the kind that ends with champagne showers in the dressing room in mid-June. There are holes that need to be addressed, namely at third-line center after Bonino split for the Predators. Yet Rutherford is in no hurry to fill them. Last he checked, the Penguins still have Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Two of the best players in the world on the roster has a way of buying peace of mind.

"That's why I don't have to be pressured to have one for opening night when you have those two centers," Rutherford said. "They carry the load."

Oh, and they have help. Jake Guentzel was a sensation during his rookie season, scoring an NHL-high 13 goals during the playoffs and his versatility could make him a candidate at center in a pinch. Defenseman Kris Letang is back after recovering from neck surgery in April that rendered him an impeccably dressed spectator.

Letang considers himself "lucky to be on the ice" and called his first workout with his teammates in months "a big step."

But just one. If the Penguins have learned anything over the last two years, it's the importance of not getting comfortable or looking too far ahead. They enter training camp as the oddsmakers favorite to do it again. The playoffs, however, are a long way off. So they'll settle into camp, try to see who fits where and not buy into their own hype.

"I think the history aspect of it is probably the least forefront of your mind," Cole said. "Just the ability to be successful as a team in this given year, to want to win games ... to be competitive (is the goal.). The historical chips will fall where they may and that's the attitude we have going into the season."

Winger Phil Kessel up to speed as 2-time defending champ Penguins open camp

By Jonathan Bombulie

http://triblive.com/sports/

September 15, 2017

Conditioning drills on the first day of camp have been known to bring even the most fervent fitness fanatic to his knees, but Phil Kessel wasn't worried.

By reputation, Kessel is painted as a guy who hops off his couch, pulls on his skates and starts scoring goals. He made headlines this summer when, on his day with the Stanley Cup, he filled the famous trophy's bowl with hot dogs while playing a round of golf.

But for the second straight offseason — one made painfully short by the length of the previous season's playoff run — Kessel worked out religiously with trainer Gary Roberts. When players began skating laps as the Penguins opened camp Friday morning in Cranberry, Kessel barely broke a sweat.

“You've got to train and train hard to get ready because everyone else is,” Kessel said. “Be ready to go again.”

Whatever Kessel's doing, it's working. Counting the regular season and playoffs, the Penguins have played 213 games over the past two seasons. It's more than any NHL team in a two-year stretch in the history of the league.

Kessel suited up for each and every one of them. He's the only player to do so.

“I always play no matter what, if I'm injured or whatever,” Kessel said. “I'd rather be playing than sitting in the stands.”

And when Kessel's on the ice, he would prefer it be at the side of center Evgeni Malkin.

At this time last year, the Penguins were still hoping Kessel, Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino could reprise their HBK playoff magic from the previous spring. By the end of the year, of course, HBK was a memory and Kessel was stapled to Malkin's hip.

Coach Mike Sullivan didn't use line combinations that are likely to stick throughout the season as camp opened Friday.

Dominik Simon, for instance, was in Conor Sheary's usual spot with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel.

But there were Malkin and Kessel, seemingly inseparable, with rookie Zach Aston-Reese skating on their left side.

“Whenever you can get comfortable with a centerman, I think that helps,” Kessel said. “It's hard to jump around, switch lines, switch centermen a lot. I think if you can make chemistry early and stick with someone for a long period of time, it makes it easier out there.”

Kessel might have to get used to a different center at some point this season, of course. Sullivan wouldn't commit to sticking with the pair permanently, and he has been known in his time with the Penguins to prefer a balanced approach to his forward lines.

“What I love about the group we have is we have the ability to move players around,” Sullivan said. “If we spread them and we put our star power on three lines versus two, it creates a whole different dynamic as far as potential matchups for our opponents. Since I've been here, we've gone back and forth with that. My sense is we'll probably continue to go back and forth with that.”

As long as they are together, though, it's an experience Kessel will savor.

Cameras appeared to catch the pair arguing during the conference finals against Ottawa last season, but Kessel said Friday that was a misinterpretation. The linemates have never yelled at each other on the bench, he said.

The day before camp began, in fact, Malkin, Kessel and winger Ryan Reaves were shooting hoops in the parking lot outside the practice rink in between photo sessions.

“We have a good time,” Kessel said. “Me and Geno get along great. We have a great relationship.”

Jonathan Bombulie is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jbombulie@tribweb.comor via Twitter at @BombulieTrib.

MORE PENGUINS/NHL

Gorman: Penguins embracing lofty expectations

Penguins notebook: Enforcers Ryan Reaves, Tom Sestito collide during scrimmage

Penguins start training camp without Patric Hornqvist, clear third-line center 

Penguins happy to shell out for top defensemen

Penguins open training camp eyeing Stanley Cup three-peat

Vikings packing plenty of confidence for trip to Pittsburgh

By Brian Murphy

http://www.twincities.com/sports/

September 14, 2017

Dalvin Cook of the Vikings carries the ball in the second half of the game against the Saints on Sept. 11, 2017, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Hannah Foslien

Dalvin Cook is no gourmet, certainly not when left alone in the kitchen.

The rookie had the most productive debut of any Vikings running back when Cook carved up the New Orleans Saints for 127 yards on 22 carries in Monday night’s season-opening victory.

On Thursday he recounted the high energy of U.S. Bank Stadium, the anxiety of playing in prime time and was stressing the importance of preparation when teammate and faux locker room reporter Brian Robison crashed Cook’s media scrum with his unique curiosity.

“Hey, Dalvin, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done alone?”

There were chuckles all around, followed by an awkward silence.

“I almost burned the house down,” Cook admitted. “I got caught up in the whole Chef Cook thing. I tried to cook some food, some macaroni at that. The whole thing came out black. It didn’t turn out right.”

Just call him Chef Cook when he’s on the field.

Cook’s breakout performance was among several on the Vikings offense during their impressive 29-19 win over the Saints, which has their confidence soaring entering Sunday’s tough match-up against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

There was quarterback Sam Bradford’s precision downfield and potency in the red zone as he racked up 346 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught two scores. And fellow wideout Adam Thielen had 157 yards on nine receptions.

“We all had a lot of confidence in what we could do; we just needed a spark,” Thielen said. “We needed some kind of confidence-builder, and then when we get that, we just kept using that momentum and carried it through the game.”

Momentum, however, can be fleeting week to week in the NFL. The Steelers’ defense is more aggressive and formidable than anything the Saints threw at Minnesota, which will roll out its suddenly high-octane offense on the road for the first time.

Seven sacks, an interception and blocked punt for a touchdown were among the big plays Pittsburgh made without the ball in an ugly 21-18 victory at Cleveland.

Keeping Bradford clean in the pocket, which the Vikings’ offensive line did with aplomb in Week 1, is the top priority. It will be up to Thielen and Diggs to create quick separation from defenders to allow Bradford the same comfort he had reading and picking apart the Saints’ coverages.

“I feel like we can do anything but it’s all about preparing each and every day,” said Diggs. “We’ve got a new opportunity this week. Last week doesn’t really matter. The world saw that it’s all about consistency and continuing to do it at a high level. Monday’s in the past.”

Much has been made about Bradford’s production, but his steadiness in the huddle and the emotion he flashed Monday night has his teammates talking.

It is obvious this is Bradford’s team in 2017 after he spent most of last year trying to find his place in a locker room flush with strong personalities.

“Playing with emotion is kind of hard when you’re trying to keep it all together,” Diggs said. “This year that personality’s coming out and everybody gets excited when he is. I always believed in Sam. He throws a heck of a ball. I’m just happy it came to fruition all the hard work that we put in. The goal is to keep it going.”

Meanwhile, it wasn’t all gravy for Cook in Week 1.

He acknowledged missing some running lanes. The Vikings showcased him out of the backfield but he dropped several passes, which offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Cook lost in the lights.

Cook conceded the twilight start and U.S. Bank Stadium’s unique contours affected his ability to pick up the ball.

“It’s something I’ve got to get better at,” he said. “Go out there pregame and do a better job tracking the ball. There’s no excuse. I’ve got to get better at it.”

Lights will not be a factor Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Familiarity might be for Cook’s encore. No longer is he an unknown quantity. The Steelers have seen what he can do and are scheming against him.

How will Cook respond?

“Everything takes hard work,” he said. “You’ve got guys out there that have been in this league a long time. This game is definitely intense. It’s another level. It’s the NFL. You’ve got to prepare well. And once you prepare well, you just go out there and play.”

New Steelers cornerback Joe Haden hyped for home debut

By Kevin Gorman

http://triblive.com/sports/

September 13, 2017

(http://www.steelers.com/photos/)

Cornerbacks are taught to keep their head on a swivel, but forgive Joe Haden if his is still spinning.

Haden went from spending seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns to opening the season against them Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium, just 12 days after being released.

Now, Haden is preparing to play in his first home opener for the Steelers on Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings visit Heinz Field, where he has been unwelcome.

“That's going to be exciting,” Haden said. “In Pittsburgh, the atmosphere and the fans, every time we come here it's been amazing. Being able to have them cheering for me is going to be sweet.”

Where Haden admits he “didn't really like” seeing Steelers fans waving their Terrible Towels, he's looking forward to hearing “Renegade” for the first time while wearing black and gold.

“That's my favorite part of the games,” Haden said.

Haden already has his first memorable moment as a Steeler, with the 21-18 victory over the Browns marking his first-ever win in a season opener. Afterward, he was awarded the game ball.

“I thought it was sweet, man,” Haden said. “This is a very, very first-class organization, with Coach (Mike) Tomlin and Big Ben. They just knew that I was on the other side of it for so long that they just felt that was something they could look out for me.”

Haden started at left cornerback, opposite Artie Burns, and defensive Cameron Heyward credited Haden's coverage with buying an extra second that helped contribute to the Steelers' seven sacks.

“We just appreciate what he gave us,” Heyward said. “He's always been on the other side, and to finally have him over here is just awesome. I appreciate him as a D-lineman a little bit more than other guys. ... It's going to be huge for us, and we're going to get better from it.”

Tomlin wasn't willing to go that far, given Haden only joined the team Aug. 30, but said Haden “did a nice job” and “fit in quickly.”

Despite finishing tied for second with six tackles (four solo), a 3-yard sack and a pass defensed, Haden was a harsh critic of his performance against the Browns.

“I could do better,” Haden said. “I tried to make sure with Cleveland to keep the ball in front of me, not let any of those double moves get over top of my head.

“I definitely wish I could have had some more plays. I give myself a ‘C.' It was an average game.”

It was a whirlwind weekend for Haden, as he had to cancel the first birthday party for his son, Joe, and celebrate instead with a family dinner Saturday night in Downtown Cleveland. Haden faced his former teammates Sunday and then moved his wife, Sarah, and son to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

“I'm just glad it's over, honestly,” Haden said. “It was different, how quick it was to leave Cleveland and then go back there and play against them.

“I'm excited to be here. It was tough, just the relationships after being there so long and being cool with so many people there. It is what it is. It's a business. I've seen so many of my teammates have to go to new teams. It was only a matter of time.”

Where Cleveland is enduring another rebuilding phase — the Browns went 34-94 and never made the playoffs in Haden's tenure — he is embracing playing for the Steelers, who reached the AFC championship game last season.

“That's just what it is, just being able to embrace that environment,” Haden said. “This is the norm here. It feels good. ... Here, it's just a standard. They expect to win every game we go into, so the approach is different.”

Burns believes adding Haden has changed the perception of the Steelers secondary and “shook up” how teams will attack them.

But the Vikings aren't the Browns. Sam Bradford set an NFL record for completion percentage (71.6) last season, and he completed 27 of 32 passes for 346 yards in the opener against New Orleans.

“I expect it to be the opposite of how it was in Cleveland,” Haden said. “It should be cool, though. I'm just excited to be here. We've got some talent here. I know what we can do with this team. It's special.”

Haden's head will be on a swivel Sunday in soaking up the Steelers atmosphere in the home opener, knowing he's playing for a team with a Super Bowl in its sights.

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.comor via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.

Antonio Brown's greatness was the reason Steelers didn't lose to Cleveland Browns

By Chris Mueller

http://www.timesonline.com/sports

September 12, 2017

(http://www.steelers.com/photos/)

Nothing Antonio Brown does off the football field is subtle, quiet, or otherwise run-of-the-mill. Be it “Gucci dragons” or vintage Rolls-Royces, everything is designed to make headlines. For some, this is unseemly, a distraction, a representation of look-at-me culture run amok in sports.

Those voices of dissent need to be seated and be quiet. Because when Antonio Brown is on the football field, he wears No. 84, not a dragon suit, and he uses his legs to get around, not an 80-year-old luxury car. And, in case anyone caught up in the theater of the absurd that surrounds him daily forgot, Sunday was another example of why he’s one of the best ever at his position — not only in Steelers, but in league history.

Here’s a jarring, but simple and accurate analysis of that season-opening 21-18 over the Browns: the game is a loss if Antonio Brown is not on the Steelers, and it is anything but his usual brilliant self. He won them the game, period.

Brown was targeted 11 times. He caught 11 passes. He racked up 182 yards, and even though he didn’t score a touchdown, he was the only offensive player that didn’t look as if he had shown up 20 minutes before the opening kick.

Brown’s work included three truly spectacular catches. One, a 50-yarder, came on a tipped pass that he caught thanks to some unwavering concentration, then simply exploded up the middle of the field to turn a modest gain into a huge one. He caught one with his right arm and bicep, while the Cleveland defender tried to rip the left arm from Brown’s body. Finally, with the game very much in the balance, he went up and high-pointed a football in double coverage with such aplomb that the highlight probably made Larry Fitzgerald swoon.

Oh yeah, Brown is 5’10”, not 6’3”, like Fitzgerald.

There was the usual subtle brilliance in other ways, like drawing a big penalty, exploding into the tiniest bit of space to churn out extra yards after the catch, and of course, actually catching all of the passes thrown his way, something that couldn’t be taken for granted when the rest of the team seemed to have a case of the drops for most of the afternoon.

Brown’s sometimes bizarre off-field behavior and the finger-wagging, sanctimonious reaction that it garners obscures the most notable and relevant thing about him. Brown always shows up, and he always delivers the goods. He isn’t the most physically gifted receiver in the league, and given that the other guys on the “best wide receivers in the NFL” list are mostly former first-round picks, his status as a sixth-rounder makes him that much more of an outlier.

He’s far from the tallest, he’s probably not even the fastest guy on his own team, and he isn’t the strongest. But he is arguably the most maniacal worker in the league, a technical savant whose attention to detail on routes and footwork, along with his incredibly reliable hands, makes him the toughest cover in football.

And one more time, in case you don’t want to admit it — Brown’s greatness was the only thing standing between the Steelers and a humiliating loss to open the season.

Next time you’re tempted to roll your eyes and complain, or label Antonio Brown an exemplar of all that is wrong with modern-day professional athlete, do yourself a favor and just let it go. Instead, look skyward and thank your lucky stars, because being a Steelers fan in 2017 means having the privilege of watching one of the best ever.

Brault, four relievers toss 3 hitter in Pirates 7-0 win

By Joe DiGiovanni, The Associated Press

http://www.espn.com/mlb/

September 11, 2016

Steven Brault pitches in the first inning of Monday's 7-0 win over the Brewers, (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE -- After dominating the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field over three days, the Milwaukee Brewers were rendered almost lifeless by Pittsburgh rookie Steven Brault and the reeling Pirates.

Brault and four relievers combined on a three-hitter to lift the Pirates to a 7-0 victory over Milwaukee on Monday night.

Milwaukee didn't get a runner past first base against the Pirates and fell 2 1/2 games behind Chicago in the NL Central after outscoring the Cubs 20-3 in a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field over the weekend.

"There was not much good that happened," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "It was a frustrating day. There was never any point where we got anything good started."

Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Jordy Mercer homered for Pittsburgh, which staggered into the game with a five-game losing streak.

"We got off to a quick start," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said of McCutchen's two-run home run in the first inning. "We followed that up with some hard contact. From the top to the bottom of the lineup, we had some consistent, quality swings."

Brault (1-0), making his second start of the season, used his fastball to keep the Brewers off-balance, only allowing a fourth-inning walk to Ryan Braun and a fifth-inning leadoff single to Jesus Aguilar. He struck out six in six innings for his first win in the majors. Brault also helped at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a double and a bases loaded, two-RBI single in the sixth to give Pittsburgh a 6-0 lead.

The left-hander was named the Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League after posting a 10-5 record with a 1.94 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis. But he came into the game with an 0-3 record and 5.19 ERA in 15 appearances over two seasons in the majors.

Brault said he worked well with catcher Elias Diaz, who also spent much of the year at Indianapolis.

"We had the same idea: We're going to go after these guys with fastballs until they hit it," he said. "Basically, that's what we stuck with the whole game."

Milwaukee rookie Brandon Woodruff (1-2), allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings.

Marte hit a two-run homer in the fifth to make it 4-0 against Woodruff.

"That's baseball, it happens," Woodruff said. "You can't be perfect every pitch."

The Brewers intentionally walked Mercer with two outs in the sixth to load the bases, but Brault hit a sharp two-run single to center to make it 6-0.

Mercer hit his 14th homer, a solo shot, in the eighth to close the scoring.

Milwaukee's Manny Pina singled to open the eighth off Daniel Hudson but was promptly erased on a double play. Domingo Santana singled in the ninth.

"There's not many games left, but we weren't going to win every game from here on out," said Milwaukee's Travis Shaw, who went hitless in three at-bats.

HOMER HAPPY

It was McCutchen's 24th home run and 199th in his career, but first since Aug. 8 and only his second in 38 games. Marte, who hit his sixth homer, came into the game in a 2 for 23 slump, but is hitting .370 (20 for 54) in his last 14 games at Miller Park.

BRAULT CAN HIT

In five minor-league seasons, Brault is batting .419 (13 for 31). In the majors, he is batting .294 (5 for 17) in his two-year career. He has not struck out in 18 major-league plate appearances.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Joaquin Benoit left the team to attend to a family matter in the Dominican Republic.

Brewers: The team hasn't announced a starter for Wednesday's series finale to replace Jimmy Nelson (right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear). Counsell said all options were being considered, including calling up a starter from the minors.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (11-9), 8-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his last nine road starts, will pitch in the middle game of the three-game series.

Brewers: LHP Brent Suter (2-2) will make his 11th start for Milwaukee on Tuesday night. Counsell said Suter's arm wasn't stretched out for him to make a full start. He pitched three innings in his last start on Sept. 3.