• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braun homers twice again as Brewers top Cardinals

May 13, 2008 - 6:35 AM By Dave Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers are beginning to heat up.

Braun recorded his second straight multi-homer game with a pair of solo shots, leading the Brewers to an 8-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at Miller Park in a battle of National League Central Division foes.

Dave Bush (1-4) pitched six solid innings to notch his first win of the season as the Brewers took three of four from the first-place Cardinals.

"It was a huge win for us today, a huge series win," Braun said. "As good as they've been playing and with their ace on the mound, it gives us a lot of confidence when we can come out and beat a team like that and a pitcher like that."

Braun belted solo homers off Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright (3-2) in the first and fifth innings. He also swatted two solo blasts Sunday and finished the series 9-for-17 with six runs scored and four RBI.

"It's great to be seeing the ball real well," Braun said. "I feel my approach is back has gone back to where I need it to be. My bat path has gotten a little bit better and I'm obviously swinging at better pitches."

During a five-run third inning, Mike Cameron snapped an 0-for-14 skid with an RBI double, and Corey Hart added a two-run single as Milwaukee built a 6-1 lead. The Brewers scored two more runs in the frame when Cardinals second baseman Adam Kennedy dropped Bill Hall's pop-up.

"We hadn't been getting that big hit," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We'd get one run and then not find a way to get the big hit. We got it tonight and scored some runs because of it."

Wainwright lasted six innings, his shortest outing this year. He allowed eight runs - six earned - and eight hits while tying a season low with three strikeouts.

"It was painful because I had decent stuff, I just wasn't locating," Wainwright said. "Sometimes you get away with mistakes, sometimes you don't. Tonight I didn't."

Bush, who was recalled by the Brewers on May 2 after spending six days at Class AAA Nashville, allowed a run and four hits with two walks and a strikeout.

"I didn't have a whole lot to smile about so far this year, so this does feel good," Bush said. "It's a huge help to get run support early in the game. The offense has really come around the last few days. It allowed me to kind of relax and try to get outs and not worry too much about what was happening."

Rick Ankiel hit his seventh home run of the season for the Cardinals, who saw manager Tony La Russa and catcher Yadier Molina get ejected in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

"Yadier's got a reputation of being as respectful and professional as any catcher out there and he questioned one breaking ball," La Russa said. "The next one he questioned and he (home plate umpire Paul Schrieber) said that's enough. I thought that was surprising and not what he deserved."

Eric Gagne, who surrendered his closer's role earlier in the series after a rocky start to the season, pitched the seventh and eighth innings and allowed one run, two hits and two walks while also uncorking a wild pitch. It was the first time since April 2, 2002 that Gagne pitched in a game prior to the eighth inning.

The Cardinals, who have lost five of their last six contests, nearly rallied in the ninth as Mitch Stetter walked four batters. But Guillermo Mota came on with two outs and struck out Ankiel to end the game and register his first save of the season.