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Brewers rally to down Nats

May 25, 2011 - 4:24 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-run single in the eighth inning, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-6 win over the Washington Nationals to take the first two games of a three-game series.

The Brewers, who trailed 6-2 after 3 1/2 innings, got two runs in each of their last two at-bats. Rickie Weeks hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to get them within a run before Lucroy's hit put them ahead.

Closer John Axford worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, hanging on for his 13th save of the season. Mike McClendon (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Lucroy also had a solo homer for the Brewers, who have won five in a row and improved to 10-2 in their last 12 games. They are 5-0 on a nine-game homestand.

"We've played some great games here. I don't want to say this was the best, but it was a great ballgame," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke.

Michael Morse hit his first career grand slam for the Nationals, but flied out with the bases loaded again in the ninth. Washington has lost four in a row and is 1-6 on an eight-game road trip.

"It's a tough loss. The game speaks for itself," said Nationals manager Jim Riggleman. "Our bullpen's done a great job protecting leads all year but it just didn't happen for us tonight."

Brewers rightfielder Corey Hart remained hot, belting a two-run homer in the first inning after hitting his first three home runs of the season in Monday's 11-3 win over the Nationals.

But a bigger blast was delivered by Morse, who belted a 2-0 pitch into the first deck above left field to give the Nationals a 5-2 lead in the third inning.

The Nationals took a 6-2 lead in the fourth inning and chased Brewers starter Chris Narveson from the game.

Washington starter Livan Hernandez led off with a single, but was thrown out at second on Roger Bernadina's line drive to center. Bernadina stole second, then scored on Ian Desmond's double to the left-center field corner, knocking Narveson out for Sergio Mitre.

Lucroy belted a two-out solo homer to left field to pull the Brewers within 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth, and they got within a run after Hernandez came out of the game.

Tyler Clippard relieved the Nats starter to begin the seventh and walked Craig Counsell with one out. Weeks followed with his eighth homer of the season, a blast high into the left field seats.

Henry Rodriguez (1-1) came into the game with one out in the eighth inning and took the loss after Milwaukee rallied. Casey McGehee greeted him with a single and went to second on Brandon Boggs' two-out walk. Lucroy then delivered a bloop single down the right field line to score the winning runs.

The relay throw beat Boggs, but catcher Wilson Ramos couldn't hold onto the ball as he barreled into the plate.

"He never had it. It kind of took a tough hop but he just didn't get it," said Roenicke.

"We got beat on a flare hit. What are you going to do?" said Riggleman.

Hart, who spent most of April on the disabled list with a rib strain, knocked in seven runs Monday with a pair of two-run homers and a three-run blast.

After Weeks drew a leadoff walk in the first, Hart worked a seven-pitch at-bat against Hernandez, knocking his 3-2 pitch over the wall in left-center field to make it 2-0 Milwaukee.

Hernandez helped his own cause, though, with a two-out RBI single in the second. Morse doubled to lead off the inning, went to third on Danny Espinosa's bunt single and scored on Hernandez's hit to left field.

Hernandez, who had two hits to raise his average to .222, gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. Narveson yielded six runs on eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Game Notes

Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun was ejected in the third inning after being called out on a close play at first base, snapping his 13-game hitting streak. Braun threw his helmet on the ground and was tossed by first base umpire Adrian Johnson. He was ejected for the second time in his career. Both times have been in games against the Nationals.