Diamondbacks 8 - 6 Brewers
Final
  for this game

Marcum hits slam, but D-Backs rally to top Brewers

Jul 5, 2011 - 12:44 AM

Video

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Chris Young and Miguel Montero hit RBI singles in the ninth inning to complete a methodical comeback, as the Arizona Diamondbacks downed the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-6, in the opener of a three-game series.

The heroics overshadowed Milwaukee starter Shaun Marcum's fourth-inning grand slam. The hurler's first career home run gave the Brewers a 6-1 lead, but the Diamondbacks mounted an impressive comeback, scoring in each of the next five innings to earn the win.

Wily Mo Pena belted a home run and Juan Miranda doubled twice and knocked in two runs during the rally.

With the game tied 6-6, Kelly Johnson led off with a single and advanced to second on a John Axford (2-2) wild pitch, before scoring two batters later on Young's single to left.

"Axford was just out of whack," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "He wasn't himself today."

Sam Demel (2-2) worked a perfect eighth and David Hernandez struck out the side in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Corey Hart hit a solo home run for the Brewers, who have dropped six of seven.

Following his clutch hit, Young stole second and advanced to third when Jonathan Lucroy's throw went astray. Montero plated Young with a single to center, sealing the final margin.

"A couple of the guys mentioned that Milwaukee had lost yesterday when they led 6-1, so we weren't down in the dugout," said Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson. "You keep grinding and you can't get discouraged."

The Brewers, who fell to the Twins on Sunday despite holding a 6-1 advantage, went on top in the third, as Casey McGehee led off with a double, advanced to third on Lucroy's single and crossed the plate on Miranda's throwing error.

Montero hit a solo shot to tie the game in the fourth, but was thoroughly upstaged the next half-inning.

Prince Fielder followed Hart's leadoff homer with a single and, after Yuniesky Betancourt and Mark Kotsay were retired, McGehee singled and Lucroy walked to load the bases.

Marcum quickly fell behind 0-2, then fouled off a fastball before laying into a slider, driving the ball deep over the fence in left and the jubilant Milwaukee bullpen. It was just the second grand slam by a pitcher in franchise history, with the first coming off the bat the Seattle Pilots' Fred Talbot in 1969.

Undaunted, the Diamondbacks began to chip away in the fifth on Pena's solo shot.

In the sixth, Sean Burroughs singled home Justin Upton, advanced to second on Rickie Weeks' throwing error, and crossed the plate on Miranda's double.

Marcum, who allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five, was spelled by LaTroy Hawkins to begin the seventh.

Ryan Roberts greeted Hawkins with a single up the middle. He advanced to second on Kelly Johnson's groundout and scored on Stephen Drew's single.

Miranda doubled again in the eighth, bringing home Burroughs, who reached previously with a single, as the Diamondbacks had clawed all the way back to tie the game.

Game Notes

Marcum's grand slam was the first by a Brewer this season...Young has reached base safely in 15 straight games...The Brewers have not lost consecutive games at home all season.






Related News