Pittsburgh, PA -- (Sports Network) - Dave Bush went 6 2/3 innings to help the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game set at PNC Park.

Bush (9-9) gave up just one run, a solo home run, on six hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts each. Ryan Braun provided all the offense with a three- run home run for the Brewers, who have won six of their last seven.

Milwaukee holds a 4 1/2 game lead over St. Louis, which lost to Houston on Friday, for the NL Wild Card spot.

Tom Gorzelanny (6-9) was tagged for three runs on four hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts in seven innings of work for the Pirates, who have dropped a season-high eight straight games. Nate McLouth's solo home run was the lone score for Pittsburgh.

"I wasn't going to get down on myself after the first (inning)," said Gorzelanny. "It would have been easy to do, but I fought through it, and pitched as well as I can."

Gorzelanny was shaky early on and the Brewers made him pay for it. Rickie Weeks started the game with a single and J.J. Hardy followed with a walk. Braun then drove a 2-1 pitch to the opposite field and it just cleared the right field fence for a 3-0 lead.

"Always nice when we score early," said Bush. "Takes a little bit of pressure off, knowing that one swing is not going to beat you. They (Pittsburgh) had good at bats and put me in some jams. Couple of great plays defensively, especially early in the game, saved me a couple of runs. We scored just enough to win."

Pittsburgh got a pair of men on base in the second with two outs, but Jack Wilson grounded out to end the frame.

Pittsburgh had men on first and third with one out in the fourth and a sacrifice bunt from Gorzelanny advanced the runner on first. But Nyjer Morgan popped out to the infield to kill the threat.

McLouth got the Pirates on the board in the fifth when he led the frame off with a homer to dead center, making it a 3-1 contest.

Gorzelanny, meanwhile, settled down after his first-inning trouble and after giving up a one-out single in the second, retired the next 14 batters in a row before giving up a leadoff walk in the seventh.

Brian Shouse took over for Bush with two away in the seventh and got the final out. Shouse retired the first Pirate in the eighth and gave up a single, then was removed for Eric Gagne, who retired the next two Pittsburgh batters.

Salomon Torres worked a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his 26th save of the season.

Game Notes

Milwaukee has won nine of the 10 games against Pittsburgh this season...Bush is 3-4 in 10 games - nine starts - against Pittsburgh in his career...Gorzelanny has dropped his past three starts...Bush has not lost in his last five starts and is 4-0 during that run...Pittsburgh left 11 men on base.