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Royals walk off, sweep Brewers

Jun 15, 2012 - 3:52 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Royals came from behind in the ninth inning for the second straight night, beating the Brewers 4-3 to complete a three-game sweep.

Brayan Pena stroked a pinch-hit single in the ninth off of John Axford (1-3) to score two runs and win the game.

Luke Hochevar kept the Brewers' bats quiet, allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings. Hochevar received a no-decision after allowing six hits and a walk while striking out five.

Axford suffered the loss after blowing his second save in as many nights. He gave up two runs on one hit and a walk.

"That's the way it's been going for me right now," Axford said. "I felt good today. I was hitting my spots except for one bad pitch."

Marcum scattered four hits and two walks across a season-best 7 2/3 innings en route to a no-decision.

Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez hit home runs for the Brewers, who have lost four of their last five games.

Axford struck out Mitch Maier to start the ninth, but Maier reached base on a wild pitch. After Axford put away Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar, Jarrod Dyson drew a two-out walk. Pena then drilled a 1-1 fastball into left field to score Maier easily. Pena made a wide turn at first and was caught in a run down. However, Aoki's throw to second base was low and Rickie Weekes bobbled it, allowing Dyson to race home and score the winning run.

"We've got a few guys that can run, but I don't think they've got that 'Mr. Zoom By You' speed," Dyson said. "You cant teach it."

Milwaukee broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Braun sent an 0-1 changeup deep over the left-field fence for his 16th home run of the year, tying Carlos Gonzalez for second in the National League.

After Eric Gordon led off the sixth inning with a base hit, Eric Hosmer gave the Royals the lead with a long two-run home run to right-center field.

Hochevar retired the first two hitters in the seventh inning, but was unable to hold Kansas City's lead. Ramirez jumped on a first-pitch changeup and drove it over the left-field fence to tie the game.

Carlos Gomez legged out an infield single to start the eighth inning, although replays showed that the throw beat him. After Edwin Maysonet bunted Gomez to second, the Royals turned the ball over to left-hander Jose Mijares. Mijares retired Norichika Aoki, but Ranson lined a slider to left inning to score Gomez and give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.

Tim Collins (4-0) struck out two in scoreless ninth for Kansas City to keep the deficit at one.

Game Notes

Jeff Francoeur was ejected in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes...Ned Yost was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing that a foul bunt hit Nyjer Morgan outside the batter's box...Milwaukee is 1-5 in interleague play...The Brewers have dropped the last two games despite leading after eight innings; they won the first 25 games when holding a lead after eight...The Brewers are 5-27 when scoring three runs or fewer...Marcum has a 2.32 earned run average in his last four starts (seven earned runs in 27 1/3 innings)...Marcum has a 1.72 ERA against the Royals in his career (nine earned runs in 47 2/3 innings)...The Royals are 24-20 since wrapping up a 12-game losing streak on April 25...The Royals' have played eight straight games decided by two runs or less...Between Wednesday and Thursday, the Royals had their only walk-off wins to this point in the season...The Royals' bullpen has picked up the win in each of the team's last three games...Hochevar remains winless at home.