• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Fielder's slam lifts Brewers over Indians

Jun 16, 2009 - 6:20 AM CLEVELAND(AP) -- Prince Fielder got the ball back from his first career grand slam when a fan at Progressive Field threw it into Milwaukee's bullpen.

Everything just seemed to work out for the Brewers slugger on Monday night.

Fielder hit his 16th homer after two Indians relievers combined to walk the bases loaded and Milwaukee rallied for a 14-12 victory over Cleveland.

"Good timing," Brewers manager Ken Macha said. "We were pretty much out of it a couple of times, but the guys didn't quit."

Fielder finished with a career-high six RBIs for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who won for just the second time in their last eight games. Ryan Braun homered and drove in five runs.

Craig Counsell, Casey McGehee and Braun, the first three batters in Milwaukee's order, went a combined 7 for 13 and scored 10 times.

Todd Coffey (2-1) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings to pick up the win and Trevor Hoffman got three outs for his 16th save. Milwaukee has won five straight against the Indians in interleague play.

"Everybody feels better about themselves after a game like this," Braun said. "It's a special night, one of those nights you have to enjoy. They don't come around very often."

Victor Martinez, Shin-Soo Choo, Mark DeRosa and Travis Hafner homered for Cleveland. Hafner's three-run shot in the sixth gave the Indians a 12-7 lead.

Milwaukee sent 11 batters to the plate in the eighth, taking advantage when Luis Vizcaino and Matt Herges walked the bases loaded for Braun and Fielder.

"It's a situation where you come in and throw strikes," Herges said. "I didn't do that. Period. That was on me. I'm better than coming in in the eighth inning with the lead and walking the first guy. That's why I'll have trouble sleeping tonight."

Rafael Perez (1-2) replaced Herges after Braun's infield single cut Cleveland's lead to 12-9. Fielder hit Perez's first pitch into the seats in right-center field and Mat Gamel added an RBI single later in the inning.

"It was cool, a good feeling. I'm happy we came out on top," Fielder said. "I was just trying to get a pitch I could drive up the middle."

Milwaukee bounced back from a 1-5 homestand during which it scored two runs or less in three of the six games.

"That's how it is, you don't score at home and then we get 14 tonight," Fielder said. "That's why this game is so fun and challenging. You never know what's going to happen."

Cleveland pitchers issued seven walks, giving them a major league-high 261 for the season. Greg Aquino, Vizcaino, Herges and Perez combined for eight runs, six hits and six walks in 2 1-3 innings.

"Overall, we had a very bad night on the mound," manager Eric Wedge said. "We continually put ourselves in tough situations. They kept coming and we kept making it all the tougher on ourselves. Eventually, they got us."

Milwaukee's comeback overshadowed another difficult outing for Dave Bush, who was charged with eight runs in 3 1-3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

Bush allowed two of Cleveland's four homers, giving him 17 for the season and tying him with Philadelphia's Brett Myers for the most allowed in the majors.

Bush, who hasn't won since May 19, is 0-4 with an 8.64 ERA in his last five starts.

"Somehow mechanically I'm out of sync," Bush said. "I can't seem to get my arm and body on the same page."

Added Macha: "He's fighting himself with his delivery. He's getting ahead of his arm."

Cleveland starter Carl Pavano struggled again, allowing six runs in five innings. In two starts since his shutout against the Chicago White Sox on June 5, he has allowed 15 runs and 20 hits in 9 2-3 innings.

"My job is to set the tempo and pace of the game," Pavano said. "The offense got me some runs. My job is to put up zeros. I didn't do that."

NOTES: The Indians signed four draft picks Monday: 1B Ben Carlson (sixth round, Missouri State), RHP Brett Brach (10th round, Monmouth), LHP Kirk Wetmore (11th round, Bellevue CC) and INF Kyle Smith (14th round, Cal Poly SLO). ... Indians C Kelly Shoppach was hit by a pitch for the 14th time, the most in the league. ... Milwaukee is 2-5 in interleague games this season. ... Milwaukee's J.J. Hardy singled in the sixth to end an 0-for-30 skid. ... McGehee went 3 for 5 and is 12 for 21 over his last seven games. ... Brewers OF Mike Cameron is mired in a 1-for-23 slump.