PITTSBURGH — The Pirates started their final home series of the season on a low note Tuesday, losing 7-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.

Left-hander Bailey Falter was the game’s losing pitcher, falling to 8-9 on the season. Falter allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits and a walk over five innings. The southpaw struck out five batters, four coming from his sinker.

Sal Frelick started the scoring with an RBI double to right field in the top of the second inning. Joey Ortiz followed Frelick with a two-run single to center field, giving Milwaukee a three-run advantage. The Pirates responded in the bottom frame by plating two runs, the first on an RBI single from Jared Triolo and the second on a sacrifice fly by rookie Nick Yorke.

Falter’s final run surrendered came in the top of the fourth inning, when a throwing error on a double play ball from first baseman Billy Cook sailed past second base and into center field, allowing Willy Adames to round third and reach home with no play. Falter finished his outing after completing the fifth inning. He threw 92 pitches, 60 for strikes.

The Pirates bullpen went on to surrender three additional runs following Falter’s exit, all coming in the top of the seventh inning. And as Milwaukee added on, the Pirates bats did little to respond, failing to score another run after the second inning. Hoby Milner was the game’s winning pitcher, improving to 5-1.

On the mound

In just his second big league outing of the season, Isaac Mattson failed to complete his task of covering two complete innings. Mattson showed little struggle in the first frame, getting three groundouts to cruise through the top of the sixth. The seventh inning, however, was a different story.

Mattson allowed each of the first three batters he faced to reach base, two via walk and one on a single. After striking out Gary Sanchez for the first out of the frame, he walked his next two batters, allowing two runs to score. Mattson was then pulled and replaced by Joey Wentz, who surrendered one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly to center field.

At the plate

Triolo and Joey Bart were the two Pirates to end the evening with multi-hit games. Bart and Bryan De La Cruz were responsible for the club’s two extra-base hits, both doubles to right field.

Triolo’s multi-hit effort marks his fifth of the month. The Pirates finished with 10 hits, four more than Milwaukee. Pittsburgh is now 51-20 in games where it outhits the opposition.

Up next

Wednesday: Brewers at Pirates, 6:40 p.m. ET, PNC Park

Probable pitchers: RHP Luis Ortiz (6-6, 3.43) for Pirates; RHP Freddy Peralta (11-8, 3.69) for Brewers.

Key matchup: Ortiz has worked at least six innings eight times in his 14 starts.

Hidden stat: Oneil Cruz has been successful in each of his last 20 attempts since being caught for the only time on April 22.

Thursday: Brewers at Pirates, 12:35 p.m., PNC Park

Probable pitchers: RHP Mitch Keller (11-11, 4.21) for Pirates; RHP Aaron Civale (7-9, 4.53) for Brewers.

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