MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers didn't need a lot of help from the bullpen Friday afternoon to close out their 9-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and considering how three relievers imploded in the ninth inning Thursday at Arizona, that's probably a good thing.

Perhaps it was an exaggerated example, but the meltdown — in which Milwaukee blew a 5-0 ninth-inning lead — remains an example of the daunting task for Brewers manager Ned Yost: Just which reliever is best suited to protect an eighth-inning lead to get the ball to closer Salomon Torres.

For most of the season, that reliever has been right-hander Guillermo Mota, the first of the three pitchers Yost used in the ninth at Arizona. But in six of his past 11 appearances, Mota has surrendered 10 earned runs covering 2.2 innings.

Yost defended Mota prior to the victory over the Pirates without going so far as to say that Mota will remain in that setup role.

''His stuff has been good but he has not been productive,'' said Yost, which is tantamount to harsh criticism from a manager who is always publicly supportive of his players.

Yost could possibly need an answer Saturday evening. That's because Carlos Villanueva, who threw 3.1 innings of one-hit relief in Friday's victory, won't be available. His 45-pitch effort is likely to keep him unavailable until Monday at the earliest.

''First of all, you better have an alternative,'' Yost said.

Yost is looking at Eric Gagne and David Riske as his set-up guys. Gagne threw a shutout inning Thursday in his first appearance since coming off the disabled list. Riske has been shaky since coming off the disabled list June 19, allowing three runs in four innings in five appearances.

Road show

Compared to other National League teams, the Brewers are doing OK on the road.

The Brewers are 21-26 away from Miller Park, sixtth-best in the league after Friday's games behind St. Louis (24-19), Philadelphia (25-21), San Francisco (22-22) and Florida (18-22) and Los Angeles (20-24).

Thirty-eight of the Brewers' 47 road games have come on just four three-city trips — two of nine games and two of 10 games. The Brewers have one more three-city trip remaining — a 10-game journey that will take them to Philadelphia, Chicago and Cincinnati in mid-September.

''Those long road trips are tough,'' Yost said, ''but we've survived so far.''

In contrast, the Brewers' top division rivals have not picked up as many frequent flyer miles. The Cubs are currently on their first three-series trip, one that included a short drive from the North Side to U.S. Cellular Field on the South Side. They also have one in mid-September. The Cardinals have completed one nine-game trip and have 10- and nine-game trips remaining.

Rough landing

The Brewers arrived here from Phoenix at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, but the trip for some after landing wasn't smooth because Summerfest was ending about that time. The traffic congestion, especially for those who live downtown or on east side of Milwaukee, was described as horrendous.

Yost didn't make it to his apartment until about 1 a.m. Friday. When jokingly asked why he didn't get a police escort home, Yost answered, ''You don't get police escorts when you blow five-run leads.''