Brewers-Astros - Series Recap

The Brewers finished up their road trip by taking two of three from the Astros in Houston. The Crew is now 9-3 against the Astros in 2007 with six games left to play against Houston, three in Milwaukee and three at Minute Maid Park.

Friday - Brewers win 5-4: The Crew was able to snap its four-game losing streak with an 11-inning win over the Astros. Dave Bush was on the mound for the Brewers and he pitched six innings and gave up 11 hits and four runs. Jason Jennings threw five and a third innings for the Astros and gave up three hits and four runs. Bush was in line for the loss until the Brewers tied the game in the sixth inning on a Bill Hall two-run double that scored Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart. The game remained tied after nine innings and went into extra innings.

The Brewers had some close calls late in the game. Mark Loretta hit a deep fly ball to left field in the ninth inning that Geoff Jenkins caught at the wall. Then in the tenth inning, Jason Lane hit a ball into left center that Bill Hall ran down for the third out of the inning. If that ball would have fallen, the game was over. But it didn't so the game went into the 11th inning. Hart came up with Weeks at first and hit a triple down the right field line off Astros reliever Brian Moehler. Weeks scored the winning run and also walked four times in his first game back from Triple-A. Francisco Cordero struck out the side in the bottom of the 11th to pick up the save.

The Astros first took the lead in the bottom of the first inning on a Carlos Lee RBI single that scored Craig Biggio. The Brewers tied the game in the third with a solo homer by J.J. Hardy. It was Hardy's first home run since June 25th which also against Astros starter Jason Jennings. Prince Fielder gave the Brewers the lead with a solo home run in the fourth inning. The Astros answered back in the fifth inning with a three-run homer by Luke Scott against Bush. That lead obviously would not last for Houston.

Saturday - Brewers win 7-4: The Crew came up with another come from behind victory Saturday night at Minute Maid Park. Things looked bleak for the Brewers going into the seventh inning down 4-0 to the Astros. The Brewers scratched their first run when Kevin Mench scored on a double play that was into by Hardy. Two more runs came in the eighth when Hart tripled home Weeks and then Ryan Braun singled in Hart. The Brewers looked poised to tie the game when Mench singled but Braun was thrown out at home by Scott.

The Brewers completed their comeback in the top of the ninth inning against Astros closer Brad Lidge. Hardy and Joe Dillon got it started for the Crew as they both reached on infield singles. Weeks then tried to bunt over the two runners but Hardy was thrown out at third base. Hart was called out on strikes on a pitch that appeared to be inside. Braun came to the plate next and crushed a 1-1 pitch into the left field stands to give the Brewers a 6-4 lead. The pitch was a low slider at 87 miles an hour and Braun turned it into his 22nd home run of the season. Fielder followed next with his 36th home run that extended the Brewers lead to three runs. Cordero pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning to finish off the Astros.

Jeff Suppan started the game for the Brewers and gave up four runs in five and two thirds innings of work. Astros started Wandy Rodriguez continued his dominance at Minute Maid Park. He pitched seven innings and gave up just one run to the Brewers. The Astros scored three of their four runs in the fifth inning. Lee hit a two-run double in that inning and also scored a run in the fifth.

Sunday - Astros win 6-4: The Brewers were unable to finish off the sweep of the Astros Sunday afternoon. This game was neck and neck until the bottom of the eighth inning. The Astros were able to put up a four spot on Carlos Villanueva and Chris Spurling. Lance Berkman led off the inning with a solo homer off Villanueva to give the Astros a 3-2 lead. Villanueva left the game after recording two outs and walking two Astro hitters. Spurling came in and gave up an RBI double to Brad Ausmus that scored Scott. Two batters later Eric Bruntlett singled home Jason Lane and Ausmus to finish the scoring for that inning.

The Brewers tried for another ninth inning comeback as Bill Hall led off with a double against Trever Miller. A great catch by Carlos Lee took away what could have been a double by Jenkins. Damian Miller grounded out to third base and then Hardy hit a two-run homer to pull the Brewers within two. However, Lidge came into the game and was able to pick up the save this time as he got Mench to fly out to right field to end it.

Claudio Vargas started the game for the Brewers and gave up two runs (both on solo homers) in six innings of work. Astros starter Woody Williams also gave up two solo home runs both to Jenkins. Williams threw seven innings and struck out two while walking one.