Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz hits an RBI double during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MILWAUKEE — Oneil Cruz went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and scored the go-ahead run as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Cruz hit an RBI single in the third inning and a run-scoring double in the eighth. He also broke a 2-all tie in the eighth when he scored from third as Rodolfo Castro drew a bases-loaded walk from Brad Boxberger.

The Brewers opened the ninth inning with Kolten Wong’s double and Keston Hiura’s single to put runners at the corners, but Chase De Jong retired Andrew McCutchen on a pop fly and induced a double-play grounder from Luis Urias to earn his first career save. A strong throw from Cruz at shortstop completed the double play.

The Pirates have won eight of their last 12 meetings with the Brewers after losing each of their first six matchups this season. Cruz’s midseason promotion to Pittsburgh helps explain the reversal of fortune.

Cruz has six homers and 17 RBIs in 46 at-bats against the Brewers. He has five homers and 19 RBIs in 163 at-bats against everyone else. He hit a three-run homer against reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes in the Pirates’ 7-5 loss to the Brewers on Monday.

Wong and Pittsburgh’s Michael Chavis each hit a two-run homer Tuesday.

The Pirates’ patience paid off against Boxberger as they snapped a 2-all tie in the eighth. Boxberger walked Castro on four pitches and issued three free passes in the inning.

Cruz walked with one out and advanced to second on a Bryan Reynolds’ single. Boxberger retired Ke’Bryan Hayes on a fly to left field before issuing consecutive walks to Ben Gamel and Castro.

The Brewers’ only runs came in the fourth, as Wong sent a 2-2 curveball from Mitch Keller just over the right-field wall for his 11th homer of the season and third in the last four games.

Wong was batting fourth in the lineup, the first time in his 10-year career he started in the cleanup spot.

Pittsburgh tied the game in the seventh on Chavis’ two-out solo shot to left. Chavis connected on a 1-1 curve from Matt Bush and sent it an estimated 417 feet.

Wong’s homer was one of the only mistakes Keller made. Keller had a career-high 10 strikeouts and gave up two runs, four hits and two walks in six innings.

Manny Banuelos (1-1) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief.

Brewers starter Jason Alexander also set a career high in strikeouts with six. The 29-year-old rookie worked five innings and allowed one run, three hits and one walk.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers 1B Rowdy Tellez was out of the lineup after leaving Monday’s game with a sore right knee, but he was on deck when the game ended.

UP NEXT

The Pirates and Brewers meet for the final time this season Wednesday afternoon. Freddy Peralta (4-3, 3.69 ERA) will pitch for the Brewers. The Pirates hadn’t announced a starter.

DODGERS 4, METS 3

NEW YORK (AP) — Gavin Lux and the Los Angeles Dodgers quieted Timmy Trumpet at least for now, edging the New York Mets 4-3 Tuesday night in a matchup of NL division leaders.

The Mets lost with Trumpet, who performs Edwin Diaz’s entrance song “Narco,” at Citi Field and ready to blare away if the closer got into the game. But Díaz didn’t get in.

Lux drove in three runs, including a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning. The hit drove in Freddie Freeman and came immediately after Joely Rodriguez (0-4) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Will Smith.

Heath Hembree (3-0), making his Dodgers debut, stranded a pair of runners in the sixth, when he whiffed James McCann for the final out.

Jake Reed, Los Angeles’ fifth pitcher, notched his fist big league save in the ninth.

GUARDIANS 5, ORIOLES 1

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cal Quantrill combined with three relievers for a one-hitter, rookie center fielder Will Benson made a pair of terrific leaping catches at the wall and AL Central-leading Cleveland beat Baltimore.

Ramon Urias singled in the second inning off Quantrill (11-5) for the Orioles’ only hit. Quantrill worked six innings and extended his career-best winning streak to seven.

Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer and Steven Kwan had a two-run double for Cleveland.

Spenser Watkins (4-5) gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings and lost his fourth start in a row.

REDS 5, CARDINALS 1

CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Romine hit a two-run homer as Cincinnati roughed up Dakota Hudson and ended St. Louis’ three-game winning streak.

Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols went 0 for 2 and was hit by pitch. Pujols remained at 694 home runs, two behind Alex Rodriguez for fourth on the all-time list.

Hudson (7-7) went 4 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits and five runs with one walk.

Reds reliever Derek Law (1-1) allowed one hit over two innings.

BLUE JAYS 5, CUBS 3

TORONTO (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a three-run homer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also went deep Toronto beat Chicago.

Kevin Gausman (10-9) pitched six solid innings to win his second straight decision as the Blue Jays won back-to-back games after losing their previous three.

Willson Contreras and Christopher Morel hit solo home runs for the Cubs, but Contreras left in the sixth inning with an apparent leg injury.

Jordan Romano wrapped it up for his 28th save in 32 chances.

Brendon Little (0-1) made his big league debut when he replaced Marcus Stroman in the sixth but gave up Hernandez’s homer before recording an out.

MARINERS 9, TIGERS 3

DETROIT (AP) — Cal Raleigh sparked a six-run third with a solo homer and capped it with a sacrifice fly as Seattle beat Detroit.

Ty France and Carlos Santana also homered for Seattle, which has won four of five.

George Kirby (6-3) allowed only two hits in five scoreless innings. Chris Flexen pitched four innings of relief for his first save.

Matt Manning (1-2) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings.

RAYS 7, MARLINS 2

MIAMI (AP) — Jose Siri homered, doubled and drove in two runs as Tampa Bay beat Miami after All-Star pitcher Shane McClanahan was scratched due to injury.

Siri also singled, scored three runs and made a leaping catch at the wall in center field to rob Jon Berti of an extra-base hit in the sixth inning.

Randy Arozarena had three hits, including his 18th homer. The Rays have won 13 of 17.

Shawn Armstrong subbed for McClanahan and threw three scoreless innings of three-hit ball. JT Chargois (2-0) pitched the fourth, and five relievers followed.

Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo (3-6) allowed five runs — three earned — and six hits in six innings.

ATHLETICS 10, NATIONALS 6

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sean Murphy hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and Oakland beat Washington.

Murphy added two singles and drove in five runs for Oakland, which has won three straight.

Cole Irvin (7-11) labored through 5 1/3 innings for the win, allowing five runs on nine hits.

Washington starter Erick Fedde (5-9) didn’t make it out of the third inning, giving up six runs on nine hits.