CC Sabathia pitches Brewers past Nationals 5-0

[August 09, 2008]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- CC Sabathia pitched a five-hitter to remain unbeaten with the Brewers and Milwaukee beat the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Friday night.

It was the ninth straight win for Sabathia, who has not lost in 12 starts since June 5. In seven starts with the Brewers since being acquired from the Cleveland Indians on July 7, he is 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA.

Mike Cameron and J.J. Hardy homered for the Brewers, who moved two games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the wild-card race and remained five games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

The Cubs beat the Cardinals 3-2 in 11 innings Friday.

The Nationals - tied for the worst record in the majors with the San Diego Padres coming in - had won a season-best six-of-seven games and swept the Colorado Rockies in a doubleheader Thursday, but they were no match for Sabathia, who walked one and did not allow a runner past second base.

It was Sabathia's fourth shutout this season and ninth in his career. He has two shutouts with Milwaukee, and in 57 innings for the Brewers has given up 40 hits and 12 walks.

The crowds at Miller Park have taken notice. Sabathia received a standing ovation as he went to the mound in the ninth, with the Foo Fighters song "My Hero" playing in the background.

However, Sabathia almost lost the shutout in the ninth, as he threw wide of first on Cristian Guzman's grounder back to the mound. Hardy then failed to complete a double play ball off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman, throwing the ball into the camera well. But Austin Kearns lined out to Hardy, and Lastings Milledge grounded out to Hardy to end the game.

Collin Balester (2-4) took the loss for Washington, giving up five hits and three earned runs in five innings. His two wild pitches and a throwing error also led to runs for Milwaukee.

In the first, Rickie Weeks walked, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third after narrowly avoiding a tag - and a double play - on a ground ball. Prince Fielder singled to center to drive in Weeks.

Mike Cameron hit a solo home run in the second, his 18th and third in his last six games, to make it 2-0.

Balester's wildness cost him again in the third. Hardy and Ryan Braun singled to start the inning and, after Fielder struck out, advanced as Balester threw the ball into center field on a pickoff attempt. Two pitches later, Balester threw a curveball well short of home plate for a wild pitch, scoring Hardy. Braun scored on a sacrifice fly by Corey Hart to make it 4-0.

Hardy homered in the seventh, his 16th.

Milledge was part of a scary play in the fifth, as Fielder, attempting to complete a pickoff play, hit him in the back of the neck with a throw to second base. Milledge stayed in the game.

The Brewers were returning home after a 4-2 road trip to Atlanta and Cincinnati. The trip followed a disastrous 1-6 homestand that included a four-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs.

[Associated Press; By DAVE GOLDBERG]

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