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Marcum, Brewers top Mets to open series

Aug 20, 2011 - 7:02 AM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Shaun Marcum hurled seven strong innings and the Brewers offense knocked around the Mets pitching to open a three-game series with a 6-1 victory.

Marcum (11-3) allowed one run on six hits and a walk for Milwaukee, which bounced back from a 5-1 loss to the Dodgers to win for the seventh time in eight games.

Casey McGehee went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Prince Fielder had two hits, scored two runs and knocked in a pair for the victors.

Fielder and Mets reliever Tim Byrdak sparked a benches-clearing incident after Fielder grounded out to end the eighth inning, but both players said it was nothing and no punches were thrown.

Byrdak heard Fielder say something he thought was directed at him, and the players jawed at one another.

"It was blown out of proportion," Byrdak said later.

Fielder agreed, saying: "I don't have any problem with him. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

Mike Pelfrey (6-10) took the loss after yielding four runs -- three earned -- on eight hits and four walks in a five-inning start.

The Mets were coming off a series win at San Diego and were welcomed back to Citi Field by storm that resulted in a two-hour, 46-minute delay.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, who turned 55 on Friday, was impressed with what Marcum did after the rain delay.

"I thought he threw really well," said Roenicke. "At the beginning I didn't see the velocity in his fastball. His changeup was great, his breaking ball was really good and then his velocity picked up. I thought he looked really good the last five, six innings."

After waiting out the rain, Milwaukee jumped in front during its first at-bat. David Wright couldn't handle a hard grounder to third by Ryan Braun, who stole second and was brought home on Fielder's single to center field.

Fielder came up in the fifth with runners on the corners and slapped a base hit to left field to make it 2-0. McGehee added an RBI single and Yuniesky Betancourt doubled past a diving Wright to knock in Fielder.

D.J. Carrasco relieved Pelfrey in the sixth and gave up a pair of two-out runs, one coming on his wild pitch. McGehee singled in the other run.

The Mets finally got to Marcum in the seventh when Jason Pridie doubled off the right-field wall and Josh Thole knocked him in with a single.

Kameron Loe relieved Marcum in the eighth and struck out Wright to leave a runner on second, and Frankie De La Cruz hurled a scoreless ninth to close out the win.

Game Notes

Braun was ejected in the third inning by home plate umpire Angel Campos for arguing balls and strikes...Marcum has won four straight decisions...Milwaukee improved to 27-36 on the road.