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Lindstrom walks in winner as Brewers beat Astros

May 27, 2010 - 10:04 PM MILWAUKEE(AP) -- Houston's Matt Lindstrom had been perfect in save opportunities this season, but the Milwaukee Brewers forced him to extra innings and snapped that streak.

Rickie Weeks walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run in the 10th inning to give the Brewers a comeback 4-3 victory over the Astros on Thursday.

Casey McGehee poked a leadoff single into right off Lindstrom (1-1), who had converted 22 straight save opportunities dating to last season, including his first ten in 2010. After Corey Hart flied out to right and George Kottaras walked, Alcides Escobar hit a liner to left to load the bases for pinch-hitter Randy Wolf, who struck out. Weeks, whose throwing error in the sixth gave the Astros their third unearned run and a 3-2 lead, walked on a 3-2 pitch.

"You don't really want to make your money by beating Lindstrom in the ninth inning because he's pretty darn good," McGehee said. "But, Escobar had a great at-bat leading off the inning with a single, not trying to do too much. Rickie had two great at-bats, I thought against him, getting the two big walks, obviously."

Coming in, Lidstrom had walked only four batters in 19 games.

"I was trying to make pitches, picking a little bit and just missing, getting into hitter's counts," said Lindstrom, who hadn't allowed a run in his previous 13 outings. "But walking all those guys today was unacceptable. I just got to do a better job of getting ahead."

Trailing 3-2, the Brewers tied the game at 3 in the ninth off Lindstrom, who walked three and allowed four hits.

Escobar led off with a single to left, advanced on a sacrifice by pinch-hitter Craig Counsell and took third on a wild pitch. After Weeks walked, Carlos Gomez ripped a single down the third base line that scored Escobar and pushed Weeks to third. Lindstrom kept it tied by striking out Ryan Braun and retiring Prince Fielder on a deep fly to right.

"They got those timely hits when they needed them," Lindstrom said.

Rookie John Axford (1-0), the fifth reliever used by manager Ken Macha, pitched a scoreless 10th for his first victory.

The loss spoiled a strong performance from Brett Myers, who allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings. He has now gone at least six innings in each of his 10 starts this season.

"Brett pitched a great game today for us," Lindstrom said. "It fell back on my shoulders. I didn't get it done. I'm just disappointed with myself for walking people."

Myers didn't fault Lindstrom.

"Every loss sucks," Myers said. "It's not fun to lose, but Matt's been throwing the ball great. You got to go with what you got."

The throwing errors almost doomed the Brewers to their 13th loss in 16 games, but they recovered to win their first home series since taking two of three from Colorado to open the season.

"When things aren't going your way, sometimes you get a sense of urgency, you find yourself pressing sometimes and things like that," Weeks said. "But, we're a pretty resilient ballclub."

With runners at first and second and two outs in the sixth, Weeks ranged wide to his left in the hole between first and second to field Michael Bourn's grounder, but the second baseman's off-balance throw sailed over Fielder's head and allowed Cory Sullivan to score.

"Guys are still having great at-bats and by no means are rolling over in any situation," McGehee said. "They are fighting for every at-bat they can get. That's the only way you can really turn something around."

NOTES: Astros RHP Bud Norris will skip his next scheduled start Saturday in Cincinnati because of biceps tendinitis. Norris (2-5, 6.80 ERA) is expected to return to Houston for an examination by Dr. David Lintner, and it's unclear how long he'll be out. ... Macha acknowledged that while surgery may be an option to repair the torn labrum in C Gregg Zaun's right shoulder, "the rehab route is what we're going with right now." Zaun went on the 15-day disabled list May 21 with a right shoulder strain. ... Milwaukee dropped to 5-16, the majors' worst home record. ... Berkman walked in the fifth for the 1,000th time in his career.