MILWAUKEE -- The Pirates' pitching staff has been the unquestioned worst in Major League Baseball in 2009, and it now has a banner to hang in commemoration.

With an uncharacteristically erratic close to an otherwise terrific season, Paul Maholm, the team's ace finished 9-9 after a 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers last night at Miller Park, marking just the second time in the franchise's 122 years that the staff failed to get someone into double-digits.

The other occasion came with the franchise's unquestioned worst team, when the 1890 Pittsburg Alleghenys got a staff-best 4-6 record out of Billy Gumbert. Rick Rhoden's staff-best record in 1981 was 9-4, but that was part of a strike-shortened season.

Milwaukee, in a down-to-the-wire chase for the National League wild race with the New York Mets, pulled within a half-game pending the outcome of the game at Shea Stadium, thanks largely to the continued brilliance of CC Sabathia: Pitching on three days' rest for a second consecutive start, he struck out 11 Pirates while holding them to one run and four hits over seven innings.

This despite a 28-pitch first inning in which he needed to fan Adam LaRoche and Steve Pearce after loading the bases.

He is expected to pitch yet again on three days' rest if the Brewers need him in their season finale Sunday against the Chicago Cubs.

The Pirates, who had been blanked by Sabathia on one hit Aug. 31 at PNC Park, finally nicked him in the third when Nyjer Morgan singled, was bunted to second and came around on Jason Michaels' two-out single to right.

Maholm was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on two hits and six walks. He struck out two. He closed with a 3.71 ERA, a career-high 206 1/3 innings and the praise and respect of his coaching staff and teammates.

Next highest in the Pirates' victory column are Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny and reliever John Grabow, each with six.

"Paul's been outstanding for us in every way," manager John Russell said. "He came into spring training in great shape, and he carried that right into the season."

"Mo's been a real leader for us in a lot of ways," reliever Tyler Yates said.

Maholm had not allowed a hit through three, but that lapse came in the fourth, when Milwaukee batted around and took a 3-1 lead: Mike Cameron singled, Bill Hall walked and, after an out, Prince Fielder singled in a run. Next came three more walks wrapped around a strikeout of Corey Hart, the latter two with bases loaded.

The Pirates did not have another hit after that Michaels RBI until Adam LaRoche's towering home run off Salomon Torres with out in the ninth. But Torres still completed his 28th save.

Milwaukee has taken 13 of 14 from the Pirates this season, and the Brewers have won 14 in a row at Miller Park dating to last season.