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Game Blog | Game Story

Postgame Audio
• Ned Yost
• Manny Parra
• Eric Gagné
• J.J. Hardy
• Rickie Weeks

The Brewers bullpen hasn't been used much as of late because of long outings by the starting pitchers on the team. But for the most part when the Brewers have needed their relievers, they have done the job and that was the case again Wednesday when the Brewers beat the Astros 5-2 at Miller Park.

With Milwaukee holding on to a three run-lead, Eric Gagné got into a big jam in the top of the eighth inning. The first three runners in the inning reached to load the bases but Gagné got Hunter Pence to hit into double play and David Newhan to ground out to end the threat with no runs given up. Gagné was able to get those three outs on just two pitches.

"Gagné got the bases loaded then out of it all in 8 pitches," said Brewers manager Ned Yost. "So he was very economical with his pitches."

Carlos Villanueva pitched two hitless innings in relief of Manny Parra.  Villanueva struck out three and walked none during his outing. Salomon Torres pitched the ninth inning to pick up his 24th save of the season for the Brewers.

Rickie Weeks was back in the lineup for the Brewers after missing two games with a sprained left thumb. Weeks led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and scored the first run of the game when Gabe Kapler doubled. Prince Fielder followed with a sac fly to plate J.J. Hardy who reached on an infield hit.

Hardy added some insurance in the seventh inning when he homered off Astros reliever Doug Brocail with Weeks on first base. Weeks also scored in the third inning on another sac fly by Fielder. It was a nicely manufactured run for the Brewers as Weeks walked, stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Weeks scored three runs in the game via three walks.

"I felt good today," Weeks said. "The biggest thing for me was go out there and get on base. Try to make something happen on base."

Parra finally picked up his tenth win of the season in his fifth try. The southpaw admittedly did not have his best stuff on this day but it was good enough to win as he allowed six hits and two runs in five innings of work.  He also walked four and struck out two during his outing.

"I had nothing today so to me the main focus of the game was defense and relief pitching," Parra said.

The victory also snaps a personal four-game losing streak for Parra. Prior to that losing streak, Parra won eight straight decisions.

"Manny was okay, not great," Yost said. "Got his pitch got count up. Struggled a little bit through the fourth and fifth innings but managed ways to get though them."

One of those ways was a great throw by Kapler to keep the Brewers lead in tack.  It looked like the Astros were going to tie the game in the fifth inning when Geoff Blum singled with Mark Loretta on second base.  Loretta headed toward home plate but was gunned down by Kapler who threw a one-hop strike to Mike Rivera.

The win gives the Brewers the three-game series win and season series victory over the Astros. It is the second year in a row the Brewers have taken the season series over Houston after having nine straight losing seasons against the Astros.

"In my mind, this was a huge game," Yost said. "This Houston club came in here really, really hot. Playing very, very good baseball. For them to come in here and win two of three, in my mind, wasn't something I wanted to happen."

Wandy Rodriguez started the game for the Astros and picked up the loss. Rodriguez lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs, two of which were earned.

"He pitched well enough to win," said Astros manager Cecil Cooper. "He had some tough innings but I think he battled pretty well through it."

The Brewers continue their homestand with a three-game series against Pittsburgh. The series starts Friday with Dave Bush (7-9, 4.26) on the mound for the Brewers against southpaw Zach Duke (4-11, 5.26) for the Pirates.