Brewers 5, Pirates 1: Brooks Conrad homered and drove in three and Shaun Marcum pitched seven strong innings as host Milwaukee evened the series with Pittsburgh.

Cody Ransom added a two-run single and Aramis Ramirez scored twice for the Brewers, who have won five of six.

Conrad entered the game without a hit in 16 at-bats this season but got Milwaukee on the board with a sacrifice fly in the second and finally found his first hit in the fourth, sending a two-run homer out to right off Erik Bedard.

Marcum (4-3) struck out eight and did not walk a batter while allowing a run on five hits. The veteran right-hander has punched out 17 batters in 14 innings over his last two turns, winning both.

The Brewers grabbed the lead and chased Bedard (3-6) with a four-run fourth inning. Ramirez led off with a single and Rickie Weeks followed with a double in front of Ransom, who singled home a pair.

Conrad followed and drove a 3-1 fastball out to make it 5-1.

Bedard was lifted later that inning and charged with all five runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Garrett Jones accounted for the lone run for the Pirates with a solo home run — his sixth — in the fourth inning.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ramirez left the game in the top of the seventh inning with a left quadriceps strain. ... Weeks went 2-for-2 and reached base four times for the Brewers. It was his first multi-hit game since Apr. 17 and raised his average to .168. … Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun sat out the game and may miss Sunday’s rubber match due to a tight right Achilles and a right hip strain. … Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez went 0-for-4 and is hitless in his last 18 at-bats.