MILWAUKEE — Dave Bush wasted Ben Sheets' strong return from the disabled list before he was able to record an out.

Jeromy Burnitz hit a pair of home runs and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-1 Tuesday night to ruin Sheets' first outing after being sidelined for nearly three months.

Sheets pitched seven innings, giving up only one run and retiring the final 14 batters he faced.

"Well, the results were terrible for the team, but I got deep into the game and threw strikes," Sheets said. "The shoulder feels good and felt good — better than I anticipated."

Bush (6-8) relieved him and allowed five runs in the eighth.

"I felt fine, warmed up fine and felt good, just didn't make the pitches in critical situations," Bush said.

Ian Snell (9-6) matched Sheets, yielding one run and four hits in seven innings for the Pirates. He struck out nine and walked one.

"Seven terrific innings of pitching," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy said. "Really great pitching on both sides of the field."

Snell only departed when a bruise he suffered on his left foot in the fifth inning started to hurt. He said he would be OK for his next start.

"The later the innings, it all started falling into place," Snell said. "I kept throwing harder and harder, and the breaking ball was even better."

Burnitz homered against Sheets in the second to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead but Prince Fielder hit a drive off Snell in the fifth to tie it. It was Fielder's 18th homer of the season.

Sheets left after seven and the Pirates jumped all over Bush. Nate McLouth hit a leadoff single and Jack Wilson bunted for a sacrifice, but Bush's throw to first was wild for an error, allowing the runners to advance to second and third.

Freddy Sanchez followed with a two-run single. One out later, Sean Casey singled and Burnitz then hit his 14th homer to make it 6-1.

The Brewers believe they can make a run at the NL wild card with Sheets and right-hander Tomo Ohka back in the rotation. Both pitchers missed nearly three months while injured, and the team went 6-17 in games started by their replacements.

Ohka has made two starts this month, giving up only three earned runs in 13 innings.

It was only Pittsburgh's fourth road victory in its last 19 games.