Brewers Back in First After Slamming Astros

Milwaukee loses ace —but bats are hot in 9-1 win
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 19, 2007 5:40 AM CDT
Brewers Back in First After Slamming Astros
Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun (8) is welcomed at home by teammate Prince Fielder (28) after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of the Brewers 9-1 win over the Houston Astros in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007 in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)   (Associated Press)

Brewers ace Ben Sheets left the game with a sore hamstring after facing only four batters in the first inning, but Milwaukee still beat the struggling Astros to regain the National League Central lead, reports AP. Four Brewers homered in the 9-1 rout, including Johnny Estrada, who hit his second career grand slam in the 4th off Astros rookie Felipe Paulino.

Claudio Vargas took the win for Milwaukee with four solid innings of relief, as the Brewers bullpen held the Astros hitless from the third inning on. Ryan Braun hit a two-run blast in the fifth, and Geoff Jenkins and Rickie Weeks went long back-to-back off closer Brian Moehler in the 9th to bury the Astros even deeper. (More MLB stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X