If there is a burgeoning rivalry between the Pirates and the Brewers, it sure is a lopsided one.
Pittsburgh lost its 14th consecutive game to Milwaukee on Tuesday night, 6-5, the longest active streak between two clubs in the major leagues. The Pirates have also lost 17 straight games at Milwaukee's Miller Park, dating to 2007. However, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun certainly seems to want to start a rivalry with the Pirates.
On Tuesday, Braun was still upset about getting hit in the back by a pitch from the Pirates' Jeff Karstens the previous night. Braun was hit in the third, two innings after hitting a home run off Karstens.
"When I saw it on replay, I was even madder," Braun said. "That was way too high."
Following Monday's game, Braun said, "We play them 17 more times. Tell Mr. Selig, we'll see what happens. It will be interesting."
Karstens insisted Tuesday that he wasn't trying to hit Braun.
"There was no intent behind it," Karstens said. "I was trying to come inside. Obviously, I'm not going to hit him on purpose. He was up first in the inning and (Prince) Fielder was hitting behind him. The last thing I want to do is put my team in that situation.
"Being in his shoes, I probably wouldn't be happy either, but it definitely wasn't intentional."
BREWERS 6, PIRATES 5: The Pirates failed to hold a 5-1 lead as Rickie Weeks greeted Jesse Chavez (0-1) with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to put Milwaukee ahead. Chavez relieved Paul Maholm, who gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with five walks and two strikeouts. Pirates pitchers issued nine walks.
