Dodgers 4 - 5 Brewers
Final
  for this game

Brewers edge Dodgers

Apr 18, 2012 - 4:06 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Pinch-hitter George Kottaras stroked a two- run double with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning and Mat Gamel made a nifty slide at the plate to give Milwaukee a dramatic 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Corey Hart singled and pinch-runner Carlos Gomez stole second base to start the ninth. Gamel, who also belted his first homer since 2009, then walked. Jonathan Lucroy struck out, but Kottaras then laced a hit to the gap in right- center field off Javy Guerra (1-1).

The relay throw to the plate was on line, but the swipe tag by A.J. Ellis barely missed as Gamel slid in safely by using his left hand to tag the plate, sending off an on-field celebration to cap the opener of this three-game series. It also snapped LA's six-game winning streak.

"It's a tough one to lose. I thought Guerra's stuff was fine," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He just left the last one up."

The Brewers snapped a four-game skid and sent the Dodgers to only their second loss in 11 games this season. Andre Ethier belted a two-run homer in defeat.

Yovani Gallardo struck out seven over seven innings for the Brewers, while Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley lasted six frames. Jose Veras (1-0) got the win for retiring the side in order in the top of the ninth.

It was a wild final three innings. Loney doubled in Ethier in the seventh to tie the game, but the Brewers went ahead 3-2 in the bottom half when pinch- hitter Norichika Aoki recorded his first major league RBI on a perfectly- executed squeeze bunt. The tapper back toward the mound scored Gamel, as the out was recorded at first base.

Matt Kemp then made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch in front of the center field wall on a ball hit by Rickie Weeks to end the seventh.

The Dodgers, though, went back in front the following inning against Francisco Rodriguez. With Mark Ellis aboard on a single, Ethier slammed a ball over the wall in center.

"Even when we got down, I thought we'd come back," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

Earlier, Gamel turned on a Billingsley offering and smacked a 420-foot homer to right-center in the second.

"The more I play on a constant basis, the more comfortable I become," Gamel said.

Lucroy then tripled when the ball popped out of Kemp's glove. Lucroy scored on a Cesar Izturis base hit, but the Dodgers got one back in the fifth thanks to an error from Weeks.

Game Notes

The Dodgers had five doubles...Ethier has 17 RBI this year and has driven in a run in nine of his last 10 games...Milwaukee is 4-1 when scoring first.






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