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Brewers rout Astros, complete sweep

Jun 1, 2008 - 10:57 PM By JR Radcliffe PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers batted around in two separate innings in support of starting pitcher Dave Bush, leading to an easy 10-1 win and a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Bush allowed just one run - a first-inning solo homer by Mark Loretta - on four hits in seven innings, and he had plenty of run support at his back. Ryan Braun and Russell Branyan both homered as part of a six-run sixth, during which Milwaukee sent 12 batters to the plate.

Houston starter Shawn Chacon (2-1) lasted only one inning after Milwaukee mounted a two-out rally in the opening frame. Chacon struck out the first two batters he faced, but then issued two walks, two hit batsmen and two hits to spot Milwaukee a 4-1 lead.

Craig Counsell's two-run double was the key blow in the inning, although Corey Hart beat out a close infield single to prolong the frame. On the play, Braun hustled around to knot the score at 1-1, and catcher Mike Rivera was plunked with the bases loaded to give Milwaukee a lead.

"It did absolutely open everything up," Brewers manager Ned Yost said of Hart's single. "Corey's got a lot of speed, he's very deceptive with his body and his frame. You just don't realize how fast he gets down the line."

The start allowed Bush (2-5) to rest easy, and he turned in back-to-back quality starts with seven innings of one-run baseball on four hits.

"The first inning was big," Bush said. "I gave up the home run to put us in the hole, but to come back and score four runs right away provides a lot of leeway for the pitchers. A couple baserunners here and there aren't that big a deal at that point."

"To see David Bush command a pretty good offensive team himself ... he's on a pretty good roll right now; he's got it turned around," Yost said.

It was Milwaukee's sixth opportunity to convert a series sweep this season, and just the second time it was successful as the Astros dropped a season-high fifth straight game. It also atoned for Houston's three-game sweep over the visiting Brewers earlier this year.

"Especially here (at home), when you're playing well, you want to take full advantage of it," Yost said of a team that has now won six of seven. "It was a big series for us. It gets us back over .500, and everybody feels good, everybody feels confident. We're really getting on a nice roll."

The Brewers (29-28) are back over .500 for the first time since May 13, one-half game back of the Astros (30-28).

Milwaukee put the game out of reach in the fourth when Braun and Branyan each hit two-run homers, part of a six-run rally against reliever Jack Cassel, who was optioned back to Class AAA Round Rock after the game. Houston activated reliever Geoff Geary from the disabled list to take Cassel's place.

Bush has now walked just one batter in his last three starts (19 innings), contributing to a Milwaukee rotation that has six quality starts in seven outings. Brewers starters have a 2.47 ERA in that span.

"The majority of the year it's been one or the other," Braun said. "Either we've been pitching well or we've been hitting well. I think the last eight or 10 games, we've started to do both well. Obviously it's very encouraging, and we're winning games because of it."

Counsell, Gabe Kapler and Rivera all had two hits for the Brewers.