The Pirates as a team to combined for just four hits and struck out 14 times against the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff in the 4-1 loss at PNC Park on Thursday evening.

Manager Clint Hurdle told Karen Price of the Tribune Review, The number of strikeouts continues to be alarming, the inability to get leadoff hitters on. … We need to get everybody involved to some degree. We haven’t been able to connect the dots from the top to the bottom of the lineup.”

Andrew McCtuchen told Karen Price of the Tribune Review, We’re not hitting, that’s about it. There’s really no explanation for it, we’re just not getting it done.”

The Bucs did not score a run for 23 consecutive innings (going back to Sunday’s game against the Rockies) until McCutchen scored on a wild pitch by the Brewers closer, John Axford, in the bottom of the 9^th.

Left-hander Paul Maholm threw a 28-pitch first inning. After allowing a lead off single to Rickie Weeks and a walk to Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder stepped to the plate with one out. Fielder, who prior to the game had a 0.71 average against Paul Maholm, hit a RBI single to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead.

Maholm walked a second batter in the inning before allowing a SAC fly by Yuniesky Betancourt.

The next six innings, however, Maholm was solid. He held the Brewers scoreless after the first and allowed just two more hits.

Brewers Manager Ron Roenicke told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “Maholm settled down and pitched really well and changed speeds. He has pitched well for them, and really has had some bad luck.”

Maholm pitched allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts over seven innings (97 pitches). He picked up the loss –his second of the year– despite pitching a good outing.

Paul Maholm told Jenifer Langosh of MLB.com, “I think everybody is looking forward to going to Cincy to get back on the track we need to be on. The] first homestand, everybody is trying to do too much, probably.

“We expect to come in and compete every day. Is it fun this homestand? No. But I can guarantee you that [Friday] we’ll get to Cincy and we expect to win it. And that’s all you can do. Turn the page.”

The Buccos faced lefty Randy Wolf who struck out 10 over 6.2 innings. He held the Pirates to just two hits and walked two.

The Brewers tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the 9^th inning off of Joel Hanrahan. Casey McGhee lead off the inning with a double to right field. Bentancourt singled and McGhee scored on a throwing error by Neil Walker. Former Bucco Nyjer Morgan hit a RBI double to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead, but was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple.

The Pirates started a rally in the bottom of the 9^th. McCutchen drew a walk and Steve Pearce singled in the inning. Ryan Doumit, who pinch hit for Chris Snyder, walked to load the bases. Josh Rodriguez, who has yet to have his first major league hit came to the plate with two outs. McCutchen scored on a wild pitch thrown by John Axford but Rodriguez struck out to end the game.

A total of 24 runs have been score by the Pirates in the last nine games, just an average of 2.66 runs per game.

The Pirates have lost four in a row. They finish the homestand 1-5 after going 4-2 on the road to start the season.