Hall's spectacular catch highlights Brewers win

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers pounded out 15 hits in the team's 12-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. But after the game, all anyone wanted to talk about was Bill Hall's defense in the first inning.

The Pirates had grabbed a 1-0 lead and had the bases loaded. With two runners moving on a 3-2 pitch, Steve Pearce -- in his first major-league at-bat -- hit a long drive off Brewers pitcher Dave Bush (11-9) to right-center that Hall made a diving catch of at the warning track.

"It was the play of the game," Bush said. "It saved me 2 runs. It was an outstanding play."

Hall said he was playing toward left field and didn't think the ball was going to carry that far.

"Starting out, I didn't think it would be a tough play, but the ball kept going," said Hall, who was switched to center field this season after starting his career as an infielder. "But I was able to get there and get us into the dugout."

Brewers manager Ned Yost said Hall's catch set the tone for the team, which scored its most runs since July 27, a 12-2 win over the Cardinals.

Hall added a 2-run double in the second inning, a sacrifice fly in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth inning.

The Brewers remained 1½ games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.