Brewers 9, Mets 6
MILWAUKEE -- Rickie Weeks hit his 20th home run of the season, capping off a five-run fourth inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 9-6 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday at Miller Park.
Weeks went 2-for-4, reaching also on a walk, a fielder's choice and a late-inning RBI double while driving in three and scoring twice. In his last 16 games, Weeks is hitting .348, continuing a hot second half that has raised his average from .162 to .230.
One night after having a nine-game home winning streak snapped, the Brewers recorded their 18th victory in their last 20 games in Milwaukee and kept pace in the race for the second National League wild-card spot despite a short and lackluster start by right-hander Shaun Marcum.
Marcum worked just four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts, tying his season low for innings pitched.
For the second straight night, the Mets scored early, taking a 1-0 lead on Lucas Duda's RBI single in the first inning. Milwaukee came back in the bottom of the inning on Ryan Braun's 30th double of the season, scoring Weeks for Braun's 101st RBI of the season -- one behind NL leader Chase Headley of San Diego.
New York took back the lead in the fourth. Jordany Valdespin singled to open the inning then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Marcum struck out Kelly Shoppach, Valdespin stole third with Andres Torres batting. Torres walked and Jenrry Mejia laid down a sacrifice that allowed Valdespin to score. Ruben Tejada added another with a hit that scored Torres, giving the Mets a 3-1 lead. Daniel Murphy drove in Tejada to make it 4-1 before David Wright struck out to end the inning.
Like his Brewers counterpart, Mejia ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing back-to-back singles to Nyjer Morgan and Jean Segura to open the inning. Logan Schaefer pinch-hit for Marcum and ripped a two-run triple to right, cutting the New York lead to one.
Norichika Aoki walked, putting runners at the corners with nobody out and bringing Mejia's day to an early end. Jeremy Hefner didn't fare too much better, throwing a wild pitch on a 1-1 count to Weeks that allowed Schaefer to score and tie the game at 4-4.
Weeks gave the Brewers the lead on a home run to left-center, his 20th of the season, before Hefner retired the next three batters in order to end the inning.
NOTES: The Brewers honored their minor-league players of the year before the game. OF Hunter Morris hit .303 with 28 home runs and 113 RBI for Class AA Huntsville to earn Player of the Year honors while right-hander Hiram Burgos was named pitcher of the year after going 10-4 with a 1.95 ERA in 28 starts with Class A Brevard County, Huntsville and Class AAA Nashville. ... Mets reliever Jon Rauch came into the game with a 1.14 ERA in his previous 33 inning. ... The Mets are hitting .201 with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break. ... Milwaukee first baseman Corey Hart was not in the starting lineup for the fifth straight game due to a foot injury.
