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Astros rally for first walk-off win

Aug 11, 2012 - 4:48 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Brian Bogusevic drove home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Houston Astros rallied for a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Trailing, 3-2, and facing John Axford (4-7), Brett Wallace led off with a walk and pinch-runner Tyler Greene swiped second. Steve Pearce ripped a base hit up the middle to plate Greene with the tying run, and moved to third on a deep fly ball to center by Scott Moore.

With the Brewers infield drawn in, Bogusevic smacked one back up the middle and past a diving Jean Segura at shortstop to score Pearce and give the Astros their first walk-off win of the season.

"We've had a lot of things go wrong for us this season," Bogusevic said. "So, to play a good game and come out on top at the end, it felt good for everyone."

Wilton Lopez (4-1) was credited with the win after throwing a perfect frame in the top of the ninth for Houston, which snapped a five-game skid.

Ryan Braun laced an RBI double and Segura added an RBI single for the Brewers, who had their three-game winning streak halted.

Mark Rodgers, who made just his fifth career major league start, pitched excellently for Milwaukee despite receiving a no-decision. He took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowed just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks over seven innings.

"That walk was big," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "Once they put in a pinch-runner, he's going to steal. It's just a bad way to start off an inning."

The Brewers opened the scoring in their first at-bat when Nyjer Morgan reached base on a dropped third strike with one out and came around to score on a double by Braun.

Milwaukee made it 2-0 in their next at-bat as Rickie Weeks led off with a double, moved to third on an infield hit by Jonathan Lucroy and scored on a wild pitch by Astros starter Bud Norris.

Houston finally got its first hit and run against Rodgers in the fifth inning. Moore picked up the Astros' first hit with a bunt single and Bogusevic followed with a solid base hit up the middle. Carlos Corporan drove home Moore two batters later, cutting the deficit in half.

Weeks doubled to start the Milwaukee seventh and came around to cross the plate when Segura ripped a base hit into right, extending the lead to 3-1.

Corporan shaved the deficit to one again in the eighth on his towering shot into the seats in right.

Game Notes

The Brewers fell to 18-34 on the road this season...The Astros donned the blue and gold uniforms worn by the team from 1994-1999...Before the game, former Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell threw the ceremonial first pitch...Norris allowed three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over seven solid innings...The Brewers finished just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left four on base.