By COLIN FLY
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE(AP) -- No matter the season, the Milwaukee Brewers keep
beating the Pittsburgh Pirates at home.

Shortstop Craig Counsell helped Milwaukee turn a season-high
four double plays and drove in two runs as the Brewers beat the
Pirates for the 21st straight time at home, 4-1 Sunday.

The Brewers' streak is the longest such string in the majors
since the Indians beat the Baltimore franchise 27 times in a row
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium from 1952-54.

"That's obviously a horrible stat," said Pirates third baseman
Andy LaRoche, a minor leaguer for the Dodgers when Pittsburgh
last won in Milwaukee on May 3, 2007. "I knew it was a lot, I
didn't know how many it was. We still go out there and try to
win no matter who we're playing."

Milwaukee has dominated Pittsburgh recently, going 33-12 no
matter where the teams meet in the last three seasons.

The streak has been one of the lone bright spots in Milwaukee's
disappointing summer after the Brewers had high hopes to return
to the postseason.

Milwaukee entered July with a two-game lead in the NL Central,
but just finished 10-12 in a 22-game stretch against opponents
with sub-.500 records while St. Louis opened up a huge lead in
the division.

"When you're 12 games out, every game is like hanging on the
cliff," Counsell said.

Now, they'll play the Cardinals nine more times - including six
times in the next nine days starting Tuesday - and face the Cubs
six times down the stretch. The Brewers also have series with
San Francisco and Colorado in September.

"The Cardinals are next, it doesn't seem like they ever lose,"
Counsell said. "Their starting pitching is phenomenal. You look
at the guys you're going to face and you've got your work cut
out for you."

Jeff Suppan (6-8) earned his first win since June 12 with six
solid innings on his bobblehead day and drew a go-ahead walk in
the fifth after the Pirates issued an intentional walk to load
the bases. He'd been 0-4 with a 6.70 ERA in his last nine starts
and spent nearly a month on the disabled list with a strained
oblique muscle.

Suppan allowed eight hits and three walks, and Counsell was the
key reason why Suppan got 13 ground-ball outs. The veteran duo
also helped out at the plate after Casey McGehee homered in the
second for Milwaukee.

With the score 1-all, McGehee led off the fifth with a single
against Ross Ohlendorf (11-9) and Jason Kendall doubled.

Ohlendorf intentionally walked Frank Catalanotto to bring up
Suppan, who laid off a close 2-2 pitch before taking ball four
that walked in McGehee. Ohlendorf was still struggling with
Suppan's at-bat after the game.

"It was the walk to the pitcher that really hurt us," he said.
"He was the one who made a big difference in the game. That was
what I was really upset about."

Suppan was coy when asked if he was told to take the whole way
during his at-bat.

"I was just looking for a good pitch, I was ready to swing,"
Suppan said.

Well, what about the second strike down the middle? Or the close
pitch at 2-2?

"You don't have to swing at them all," Suppan joked. "I was
going to make sure I had a pitch to hit. Fortunately, I had a
good eye and he walked me."

After Felipe Lopez struck out, Counsell singled just over
LaRoche to drive in two more runs to give Milwaukee a 4-1 lead.

Garrett Jones homered in the third, giving the Pirates at least
one home run in a season-high six straight games. But Pittsburgh
squandered ample opportunities against Suppan.

In the second, Suppan intentionally walked Ronny Cedeno to load
the bases with one out and bring up Ohlendorf, who came in with
a .052 career average. Ohlendorf fought off several pitches, but
bounced to Counsell, who stepped on second base and threw him
out easily at first.

Counsell made a diving grab that limited Ohlendorf to an infield
single in the fourth and saved a run, and also was part of
double plays in the first, fifth and sixth innings.

"A tremendous day for Counsell," Brewers manager Ken Macha said.
"Today was his game."

NOTES: Trevor Hoffman worked around a leadoff double by Brandon
Moss in the ninth for his 29th save this season. ... The Brewers
turned five double plays on June 22, 2008 against Baltimore. ...
The Pirates last hit into four double plays on June 5, 2007,
against Washington. ... Pirates RHP Daniel McCutchen will make
his major league debut in the first game of a doubleheader in
Cincinnati on Monday.