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Braun's two-run double helps Brewers edge Cubs

May 1, 2008 - 11:49 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Ryan Braun came through in the clutch for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Braun hit a two-run double in the ninth inning Thursday to lift the Brewers to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Milwaukee trailed, 3-2, with the bases load and one out when Braun hammered a double off Chicago closer Kerry Wood (2-1), plating Gabe Kapler and Jason Kendall.

Braun went 3-for-4 with a solo homer for Milwaukee, which won the rubber match of this three-game series.

"It's a nice win," Braun said. "There is no better feeling (than to shut up Cubs fans). They are obviously obnoxious here, but supportive of their team as they should be. But it makes things more fun."

"You got a two-run lead going into the ninth and you let one get away," Cubs manager Lou Piniella bemoaned. "It's a tough loss."

It was the first time in nine attempts this season that the Brewers rallied to win a game in which they trailed after eight innings.

"We put some good at-bats together against Wood and just went from there," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "These are big games. Anytime you win on the road against the Cubs, it's a big win for us."

The Cubs led, 3-1, before Wood plunked leadoff hitter Craig Counsell and allowed a double to Kapler.

"I was trying to go in, get strike one and didn't make the pitch," said Wood of hitting Counsell to lead off the frame. "It's never good to start off with the first pitch of the inning getting a guy on base, whether you hit him or walk him."

After Kendall grounded an RBI single to halve Milwaukee's deficit, Rickie Weeks drew a walk.

That set the stage for Braun, who lofted a pitch over the head of right fielder Kosuke Fukudome to give the Brewers a 4-3 advantage.

Piniella was still furious after the contest when answering questions on Wood's performance, and also was irked that left fielder Alfonso Soriano misplayed Kapler's fly ball into a double.

"I don't know if Wood had his command or not," Piniella steamed. "What else?"

The Cubs manager was asked if he considered replacing Soriano - who was back in the field after missing 14 games with a calf injury - with Reed Johnson when the inning began.

"You're (darn) right I thought about it, Piniella said. "You think I'm stupid or something? God darn it."

It was Woods' third blown save of 2008 and made a winner of Brewers reliever Brian Shouse (2-0), who pitched to one batter in the bottom of the eighth.

"I need to make my pitches," Wood said. "I feel if I make my pitches, I'll be successful more times than not. Obviously there's days when you can go out there and get outs without making pitches. Today wasn't that day."

Eric Gagne worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth to record his ninth save this season.

The win spoiled an excellent effort by Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, who yielded a run, seven hits and two walks while striking out three in 6 1/3 innings.

Zambrano's only mistake was serving up the solo shot to Braun that knotted the score at 1-1 in the sixth. The Chicago ace had homered earlier in the game to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo was almost as effective, allowing three runs, nine hits and a walk while striking out four in six innings.

Gallardo was happy just to go six frames after it looked like he suffered a leg injury while trying to cover a play at first base in the fifth. The righthander, who had to hurdle Johnson when the Cubs outfielder slid headfirst into the bag, came down awkwardly and seemingly hyperextended his right leg.

"It (right foot) was a little sore at first," Gallardo said. "After I threw a few pitches, the leg was fine.

"It was a good game for us. I was able to make some pitches and stay in it. But in the end, the guys had to pick me up."

Gallardo had offseason surgery on his left knee before spring training.