Pittsburgh came in having actually taken two of three from Milwaukee earlier in the week, so this wasn't a team that had no business on the field with the NL's best record. Oneil Cruz being cleared for baseball activities is a real development for a lineup that's been picking up the pieces. None of that mattered once Harrison settled in.
Milwaukee's lineup did the necessary damage in the 4th, with Christian Yelich doubling home a run before Vaughn singled in two more to make it 3-0. Contreras added a solo shot in the 6th for good measure. Harrison, meanwhile, was busy erasing the last 8 batters he faced by strikeout before his night ended early.
Pittsburgh's offense never found a rhythm against Harrison and didn't do much more against the pen behind him, managing only 3 hits on the night. Edwin Rodríguez's 2-run homer in the 7th was the only real dent the Pirates put in the scoreboard, and it came far too late to matter. Milwaukee's bullpen — Antonio Senzatela, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill — did what it's done all year and shut the door.
It was a clean, businesslike win for a Brewers team that's been the class of the National League, and a reminder for Pittsburgh that even a good week against a great team doesn't erase the talent gap. Skenes will get another crack soon enough, but on this night the story belonged to the guy who hadn't pitched in a month.