HOUSTON (AP) — Prince Fielder had four hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers scored all their runs in the last three innings to rally for an 8-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Ryan Braun hit the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning to help the NL-Central-leading Brewers snap a three-game skid and end Houston’s four-game winning streak.
Milwaukee’s eight runs on Friday equaled the number they scored combined in a three-game sweep by the Cardinals this week.
Casey McGehee had a two-run shot in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 5-2 and Nyjer Morgan scored in the ninth before Fielder’s 31st homer.
Trailing 2-0, entering the seventh, Milwaukee got consecutive two-out singles by pinch-hitter Taylor Green and Corey Hart.
Morgan walked to load the bases and chase reliever Aneury Rodriguez (1-6), who was replaced by David Carpenter.
A wild pitch by Carpenter allowed Logan Schafer, who made his major league debut pinch-running for Green, to score and cut the lead to 2-1.
Braun’s single to left field scored Hart and Morgan to put Milwaukee on top 3-2, but Braun was out on a rundown at second.
Fielder, who finished a triple short of the cycle, doubled to start the eighth inning before McGehee’s homer to left field.
Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (14-5) allowed a season-high nine hits with two runs and six strikeouts in six innings.
Lucas Harrell yielded three hits and no runs in 5 1-3 innings in his Astros’ debut and fourth career start overall after being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Brian Bogusevic hit his first career triple in the fourth inning on a ball that landed in deep right center field, just in front of the Astros’ bullpen. Jimmy Paredes followed with an RBI single to put Houston up 1-0. Paredes has seven RBIs in his last 10 games.
A wild pitch allowed Paredes to advance to second before an error on the same play by catcher Jonathan Lucroy let him take third. Clint Barmes followed with a double that scored Paredes and made it 2-0. Greinke limited the damage by retiring the next three Astros.
Carlos Lee and Bogusevic hit consecutive no-out singles in the second inning before Barmes drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Greinke was able to escape that jam when Humberto Quintero grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Lee’s single extended his hitting streak to a season-high 13 games.
NOTES: Brewers SS Yuniesky Betancourt left the game in the eighth inning with a right elbow bruise after being plunked by Carpenter. … Milwaukee 2B Rickie Weeks, who has been out since severely spraining his left ankle on July 27, is progressing, but manager Ron Roenicke said it will still be a while before he’s healthy enough to play defense. He did say that he’s thought about using him as a pinch-hitter before he’s ready to return full time. But he said, even if he decides to use him in that capacity that would still be more than a few days away. … Hart has a 15-game hitting streak. … Brewers pitching coach Rick Kranitz wasn’t with the team on Friday because of what the team called family reasons. … Milwaukee lefty Chris Narveson (9-6) faces Houston’s Bud Norris (6-8) in the second game of the series on Saturday. Narveson last pitched in relief on Wednesday against the Cardinals, his first work as a reliever this season. Norris didn’t factor into the decision in his last start despite striking out 10 in seven innings.
