Fielder hits go-ahead single to lift Brewers over Cards

[July 09, 2009]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Prince Fielder drove in the go-ahead run with his two-out, eighth inning infield single and the struggling Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Fielder, who'd been 4-of-24 this season against St. Louis, hit a slow grounder off reliever Dennys Reyes to shortstop Brendan Ryan with the bases loaded and Ryan's off-balance throw to first baseman Albert Pujols wasn't in time.

Rookie Mat Gamel hit a two-run homer in the fourth, reliever Todd Coffey (4-1) got the win with two scoreless innings and Trevor Hoffman picked up his 19th save in 20 chances after working around Pujols and out of a bases loaded jam.

It was a much needed victory for the Brewers, who moved back within a game of St. Louis in the NL Central despite losing five of the last seven and trailing 4-1 in the fourth.

In the eighth, Cardinals reliever Jason Motte (3-3) got the first two outs, but Craig Counsell doubled and Motte walked J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun, the ninth free pass given out by Cardinals pitchers.

Reyes replaced Motte, but the Brewers' All-Star first baseman came through with his 77th RBI this season.

The Cardinals missed two chances late.

In the eighth, Coffey stranded runners on first and second by striking out Ryan to end the inning, and Hoffman had to work out of a bases loaded jam. He allowed a leadoff double to Skip Schumaker and intentionally walked Pujols with one out in the ninth.

After catcher Jason Kendall made a falling grab in foul territory of Ryan Ludwick's pop up for the second out, Hoffman walked Chris Duncan to load the bases and Yadier Molina grounded out to end it.

While Gamel homered in the fourth, he struck out twice with the bases loaded, including with two outs in the seventh after Braun had tripled and reliever Kyle McClellan had walked Frank Catalanotto and Mike Cameron.

The teams combined for seven runs in the fourth, with St. Louis taking a 4-1 lead, but Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer giving it back in the bottom half.

Molina doubled in the first run off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan, who walked Joe Thurston. After Wellemeyer laid down a sacrifice bunt for the second out, Ryan drove in two runs, extending his career-long hitting streak to seven games. Schumaker drove Ryan home with a single.

Gamel answered to make it 4-3 after Wellemeyer's third leadoff walk in four innings, and Kendall, who walked with the bases loaded in the second for Milwaukee's first run, singled and advanced to third on an error.

Counsell drove in Kendall, but Wellemeyer, who allowed seven hits and four walks, ended his night by forcing Braun to ground into a double play.

NOTES: Brewers LHP Manny Parra will be recalled and start the series finale against RHP Joel Pineiro. ... Brewers bench coach Willie Randolph was suspended for the game after being ejected the night before. ... Cardinals RHP Kyle Lohse (right forearm) threw six scoreless innings on Tuesday night in a rehab start at Triple-A Memphis and is expected to start one of the games Sunday in a doubleheader with the Cubs.

[Associated Press; By COLIN FLY]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.