PITTSBURGH – Daryle Ward homered and drove in two runs, and Pittsburgh starter Dave Williams repeatedly pitched out of trouble to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 Sunday, the Pirates’ ninth victory in 12 games.

Ward homered in the second inning and added a run-scoring single in the fifth after Matt Lawton’s leadoff double against Gary Glover (2-2), who saw the Brewers win his last four starts.

The Brewers took the series opener Friday night for their 11th victory in 14 games, but were held to two runs in the final two games by Pittsburgh starters Mark Redman and Williams.

The left-handed Williams was roughed up for nine hits in 5 1-3 innings, but stranded six runners in the first four innings despite allowing Geoff Jenkins’ fourth homer and Glover’s only hit in 20 career at-bats, an RBI single in the second.

The Brewers outhit the Pirates 12-6 but stranded 10 runners and committed three errors.

Williams (4-3), who beat out three candidates in spring training to be the Pirates’ No. 5 starter, has allowed five earned runs in 18 1-3 innings to win each of his last three starts after dropping three in a row.

With Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon away attending his daughter’s graduation from Valparaiso University – he planned to listen to the game via headphones while at the ceremony – bench coach Pete Mackanin used four relievers to close the win out after Williams departed.

Jose Mesa, who gave up the decisive run in a 4-3 loss Friday while pitching in a non-save situation, pitched the ninth for his 13th save in as many opportunities and his 23rd consecutive save conversion since last season.

With Williams in trouble in each of his five-plus innings, Ward tied it at 1 by leading off the second with his eighth homer and the ninth off Glover in eight games. Ward also singled to lead off a two-run fourth that included Tike Redman’s run-scoring single – only his second RBI in 10 games – and David Ross’ sacrifice fly.

Ward went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .292 and, with eight homers and 19 RBIs in only 106 at-bats, is off to his second strong start in as many seasons. He had seven homers and 19 RBIs in his first 19 games last season, then was out for nearly two months with an injured right thumb before finishing with 15 homers and 57 RBIs.

The Pirates, 3-10 at home until winning their last two, won only the second of their six series at PNC Park. They had dropped three straight there to Milwaukee until winning the final two games of the three-game series.

Notes: Pirates starting pitchers have a 2.28 ERA in their last seven starts, including Redman’s complete-game 2-0 victory Saturday. … Milwaukee is 14-28 in Pittsburgh since PNC Park opened in 2001. The Brewers are 11-15 against the Pirates the last two seasons. … Williams is 4-1 in five career starts against Milwaukee. … Glover was 0-for-18 until his single.

AP-ES-05-15-05 1606EDT