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Hart, Cameron lift Brewers past Nationals

May 25, 2008 - 3:58 AM By Rich Dubroff PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers may have found an unexpected starter in Seth McClung.

McClung made it through five innings, allowing two runs and four hits, and was backed by a two-run home run by Corey Hart and Mike Cameron's homer and a double to lift the Brewers to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.

After watching Carlos Villanueva struggle, manager Ned Yost turned to McClung, who hadn't started in the major leagues for nearly two years. Yost decided to limit McClung to 80 pitches but, after he made it through five innings with 68 pitches, Yost said thank you very much.

"It was better than I was looking for. He kept his pitch count down, got good quick outs - nice job," Yost said.

McClung admitted to being excited.

"I was, but that's one of the things you learn. This moment's already over. It's about what I do next time," McClung said. "You can't overthink what you have to do."

McClung struck out four without a walk.

"It's probably unlike any start I've ever had (due) to the fact that I was getting ahead, staying ahead, being able to execute my pitches," McClung said. "I've learned so much since I've toed the rubber as a starter."

McClung was helped by Hart's fourth blast, which landed in the left-field bullpen with two outs in the fourth, gave Milwaukee a 2-0 lead. The homer scored Cameron, who led off with a double off John Lannan (4-5). Cameron added the Brewers' final run with a long shot off Jesus Colome to lead off the eighth that landed just above Milwaukee's bullpen. It was his sixth of the season.

The win was just the Brewers' third in their last 10 games. Milwaukee has had trouble winning on the road, losing nine of its previous 11 away from home.

"How about just winning, period?" Cameron said. "Winning on the road, whatever, just developing a little more consistency, trying to stay away from long losing streaks if we want to be a playoff-caliber ballclub."

Villanueva pitched a scoreless sixth, Guillermo Mota tossed two scoreless innings and Salomon Torres a scoreless ninth - ending the game with the tying run at the plate - for his second save.

McClung left after the fifth with a 3-2 lead for the Brewers, who scored their third run on a sacrifice fly by Rickie Weeks.

After McClung left, Milwaukee scored a run in the seventh on J.J. Hardy's leadoff single and Jason Kendall's two-out double off Joel Hanrahan. The Brewers added another on Cameron's homer in the eighth.

In the fifth, Lastings Milledge led off with his second home run of the season - his first since March 31, the second game of the season. With one out, Elijah Dukes singled, stole second and scored on Wil Nieves' double.

Lannan took the loss for the Nationals, allowing three runs and five hits, while striking out four without a walk.

"I think he battled for us," Washington manager Manny Acta said. "I think he made a couple of mistakes."

In his previous start against Baltimore on Sunday, Lannan allowed just one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings.

"I wasn't really commanding on the outside of the plate and I had trouble going inside," Lannan said. "The fastball wasn't there, and I kind of got away from it in that one inning."