PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Some pitchers exceed their team's expectations, while others fall short.

The contrast was on display Friday night when Jimmy Haynes, the overachiever, got the best of Jason Schmidt, the pitcher whose record and talent don't match.

Schmidt gave up Henry Blanco's first career grand slam, and the Milwaukee Brewers went on to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1.

Haynes improved to 5-2 with his third win in four starts.

``He's been a pleasant surprise,'' Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said of Haynes, who came from Oakland as part of a nine-player, four-team deal last winter.

Haynes, with his third organization, might have found a home with the Brewers.

``I said I was going to come out with the attitude that I would show them what I could do and go after guys,'' Haynes said. ``I've made my pitches, kept the ball down, and it's worked out so far.''

Blanco's homer came in the second inning.

Schmidt, Pittsburgh's No. 1 starter, is 1-3 with a 4.76 earned run average. Instead of being the consistent winner the Pirates thought he'd be, Schmidt is still trying to find himself as a pitcher.

``He didn't have real good control,'' Pirates manager Gene Lamont said. ``It wasn't one of his better games. He was wild out of the strike zone and he didn't have good command within the strike zone. Whenever he did throw strikes, they were right down the middle.''

That's what happened on Blanco's home run.

``Maybe he thought I was going to take a pitch,'' Blanco said.

Actually, that was about all Schmidt had to offer. He couldn't control his slider or changeup, which is why he walked two batters in the inning.

``It's real tough to pitch with only one pitch in the big leagues,'' Schmidt said. ``I don't know what it is, but I haven't had good control of the other pitches all year.''

Pittsburgh's only run came on Brian Giles' ninth homer.

Blanco, who caught the longest nine-inning game in NL history on Wednesday, was right back in the lineup after the Brewers' 14-8 win over the Cubs in Chicago.

Lopes checked with Blanco to see if he could play Friday. He got the answer he expected.

``He wants to work,'' Lopes said. ``He's my No. 1 guy and he's going to be in there. He's not going to catch every game, obviously, but I'll pick my spots for him to sit.''

Blanco said he was fine, but did admit he slept well after the Brewers arrived at their Pittsburgh hotel.

``I was out as soon as I hit the bed,'' he said.

The Brewers have won seven consecutive games in Pittsburgh. They swept all six last year and are 10-2 all-time in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates are 1-3 on the current homestand after going 5-1 on a trip through St. Louis and Chicago.

Milwaukee has won consecutive games for the first time since April 5-6, when the Brewers won the first two games of the season against Cincinnati.