Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams got back on track Friday with a scoreless ninth inning in the team's 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was Williams' first appearance since the Brewers' 7-5 loss against the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, during which he blew his first save of the 2023 season.

The win was big for the Brewers because it pushed Milwaukee past the Pirates for first place in the NL Central. It might have been just as important for Devin Williams personally, who's had trouble finding consistent work.

Because the Brewers have been in the middle of a skid, Williams' save opportunities have been few and far between The win over the Pirates was just Williams' third appearance in 10 days. The lack of work seems to have contributed to Williams' blown save in Minnesota. Williams was arguably the best reliever in the NL before struggling against the Twins.

Milwaukee's closer gave up four runs without recording an out, struggling to match the stuff that he showcased earlier in the season. Williams walked two batters and gave up a hit before locking down his 11th save of the season against Pittsburgh.

“The stuff doesn’t feel [like usual] right now,” Williams said after the Brewers beat the Pirates. “[I'm] working through it. That’s all I can do. … I go out there and I’m expected to be locked in from the first pitch and that doesn’t always happen. You have to work through stuff sometimes.”

Before taking the loss in Minnesota, Williams' ERA was a minuscule 0.42. In 22.2 innings, he now has a 1.99 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 32 strikeouts.

Friday's win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Brewers. The Cincinnati Reds and Pirates are both a half-game behind Milwaukee for first place.