Brewers 4 - 0 Astros
Final
  for this game

Marcum helps Brewers sweep Astros

Sep 4, 2011 - 11:41 PM

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Shaun Marcum gave up just one hit over seven innings while Francisco Rodriguez and Takashi Saito each pitched a one-hit inning to help Milwaukee take a 4-0 win over Houston to sweep a three-game set.

Marcum (12-5) walked one and struck out eight while Ryan Braun hit a solo home run and drove in three for the Brewers, who were swept by St. Louis prior to this series and now travel to St. Louis for a three-game set starting on Monday.

Milwaukee moved its lead over St. Louis in the NL Central to 9 1/2 games with the win and the Cardinals' loss to the Reds in 10 innings.

"The guys know they have to play better than the last time we faced them," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke about the upcoming series. "We know we can't play an average game and hope for the best, we have to play well."

Wandy Rodriguez (10-10) pitched six innings and gave up three runs on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts for the Astros, who had won four straight coming into the series. Brian Bogusevic's double was the lone extra- base hit for Houston.

"I was trying to keep the ball off the plate and use movement out there," said Rodriguez. "It worked sometimes, but when I didn't they hit it."

Braun gave Milwaukee the only run it needed in the first with his 26th home run of the season.

Jonathan Lucroy's two-out solo shot in the second, his 11th of the season, made it a 2-0 game.

The fifth inning saw Braun draw a bases-loaded walk to force in a run, but Prince Fielder grounded out to end the frame.

Braun's RBI single to right in the seventh scored Jerry Hairston Jr. and made it a 4-0 game.

Marcum, meanwhile, had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning and struck out Jose Altuve to start the frame, but Jordan Schafer followed with a single. Marcum got the next two batters out and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh before stepping off the hill.

Rodriguez walked J.B. Shuck with one out and Jason Bourgeois followed with a single, but he got the next two batters out to keep the shutout going.

Saito worked around Bogusevic's one-out double in the ninth to cap the win.

Game Notes

Milwaukee has won 12 of the 15 games with Houston this season...The Astros hit the road for the next six games starting with a three-game set in Pittsburgh on Monday...Milwaukee right fielder Corey Hart went 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.






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