Ryan Braun's big hit, Eric Gagne's save power Brewers to 5-3 win over Dodgers
By CHRIS JENKINS | Associated Press | May 13, 08 10:02 PM CDT in
Sports
Ryan Braun delivered another big hit and Eric Gagne made a bid to reclaim his job as the Milwaukee Brewers' closer in a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
Gagne earned his 10th save, but it wasn't easy. Gagne allowed a leadoff single to Russell Martin before getting Blake DeWitt to hit into a fielder's choice and Mark Sweeney to fly out.
DeWitt advanced to second on a passed ball, and Gagne walked Andruw Jones before getting Juan Pierre to pop out to end the game.
The Brewers' closer situation has been up in the air since Saturday, when Gagne said after another rough outing that he didn't deserve to pitch the ninth inning any more. Gagne said before Monday's game that he wants another shot at closing, but Brewers manager Ned Yost used him in the seventh and eighth innings Monday night.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Dodgers, who started the game without three top players because of injury, illness and inconsistency.
Coming off one of the worst outings of his career last week, Los Angeles starter Brad Penny (5-4) gave up two runs in the first four innings, then got in trouble in the fifth after issuing a leadoff, four-pitch walk to Brewers pitcher Carlos Villanueva (2-4).
Penny came back to get two quick outs and had Milwaukee's Mike Cameron down 0-2 before giving up a single that brought up Braun, who was coming off back-to-back two-home run games Sunday and Monday.
This time, the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year bashed a two-out, two-run double off the left field wall to give the Brewers the lead. Prince Fielder followed up with a single to score Braun and put Milwaukee ahead 5-3.
Braun also hit a standup triple to right center field in the seventh and is 11-for-20 with six RBIs five games into the team's current homestand.
Villanueva went six innings for Milwaukee, giving up eight hits and three runs (only two were earned) for the win after losing his last four decisions.
The Dodgers have scored a total of 10 runs in their five straight losses.
Penny gave up six runs and nine hits in six innings for the loss. Penny gave up 10 runs in his most recent start, a 12-1 loss to the New York Mets last Wednesday.
Los Angeles was playing without three key players on Monday. Manager Joe Torre gave Jones the night off before he pinch-hit in the ninth, shortstop Rafael Furcal was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 6 with a lower back injury and closer Takashi Saito was unavailable while he recovered from a recent illness.
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