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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Backup catcher Michael Perez had three home runs, rookies Oneil Cruz and Jack Suwinski hit back-to-back shots and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-7 on Thursday night.

It was the first multi-homer game of Perez’s five-year career. He also doubled his season home run total.

Perez hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning off Brent Suter (1-2) to break a 3-3 tie. He added another two-run homer in the sixth to make it 6-4 before connecting again for a solo shot in the eighth to increase the lead to 8-4.

“Three really good swings,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “He didn’t miss any of them. He got all of them. The thing is, we needed every one of them. What a great night for him.”

The outburst came one day after the Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds had a three-homer game in a win at Washington. Suwinski homered three times June 19 in a victory over San Francisco.

The Pirates had three players have three-homer games in the same month for the first time in the franchise’s 140-year history.

“Hopefully, it’s a contagious bug of three-homer games that is going around,” winning pitcher JT Brubaker said with a smile. “I’m happy for Mikey. He always does a good job behind the plate, and I think a night like this made it easier for him to call the game.”

Perez went 4 for 5 to set a career-high for hits and raise his batting average to .169. He finished with five RBIs as the Pirates ended their eight-game losing streak against Milwaukee that dated to last season.

“I always believe in myself, that I can do my best every day,” Perez said. “To be a part of this and the win, it feels good.”

The Brewers scored three runs in the ninth inning to pull to 8-7. Willy Adames hit an RBI double, Rowdy Tellez...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — At least in May, the young Pittsburgh Pirates have the Los Angeles Dodgers' number.

Against one of the best lineups in baseball, the Pirates blew a 4-0 lead, fell behind in the eighth inning and then rallied in the ninth to eke out a wild 6-5 victory Monday night.

"That's a huge team victory for us. We kept battling back,” said manager Derek Shelton, who earned his 100th career win. “We continued to grind out at-bats. It was cool to see.”

Michael Perez hit a tying single in the ninth inning and pinch-runner Michael Chavis scored the go-ahead run on Freddie Freeman’s error to end the Dodgers' four-game winning streak.

Los Angeles scored twice in the eighth to take its only lead before the Pirates charged right back against closer Craig Kimbrel (0-1), who was handed his first blown save of the season.

“I'll be the first one to tell you my last couple outings have been pretty bad,” Kimbrel said. “Haven't really been like I should be. I've been hurting myself a lot by walking guys and throwing wild pitches or hitting guys."

The Pirates have beaten the Dodgers in three of four meetings this month. Los Angeles was coming off an 8-2 road trip that included a four-game sweep of Arizona.

“We've played well against them and we haven't beat ourselves, which is the most important thing,” Shelton said. “You really have to execute because they're so good.”

With one out in the ninth, Diego Castillo walked and moved to second on Kimbrel's wild pitch that went to the backstop. Perez singled to deep right field, scoring Castillo, and advanced to second on the throw home.

Chavis scored the go-ahead run on Freeman's error when a ball hit by Cal Mitchell went off the first baseman's glove.

“I missed it,” Freeman said....