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Brewers' homer barrage sinks Orioles

Jun 22, 2008 - 10:25 PM By David Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers' recent winning ways have coincided with Prince Fielder's power surge.

Fielder homered twice - his 10th career multi-home run effort - to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Miller Park on Sunday in the rubber match of the three-game interleague series.

The home runs were Fielder's fourth and fifth of a nine-game homestand during which the Brewers went 6-3.

Corey Hart and Bill Hall also went deep for the Brewers, who won their second consecutive interleague series and sixth game in seven tries.

"We're driving in runs and scoring a lot of runs," Fielder said. "Whenever you can do that, you can have success. We're winning a lot."

Hall's solo home run, his first since May 13, tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth off Orioles starter Garrett Olson (5-3). Olson then hit Gabe Kapler with a pitch and, with two outs, walked Rickie Weeks. J.J. Hardy followed with an RBI single to left that snapped the tie.

Hart's two-run home run, his second in two days, tied the score in the bottom of the second, 2-2.

"When we came in, I said we had to keep the ball in the ballpark and avoid the big inning," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "They got their runs on one swing of the bat multiple times. That was the key to the game."

Fielder provided the Brewers with some insurance with a solo shot in the sixth and a two-run blast in the seventh.

"I just think I'm seeing the ball well," Fielder said. "When you feel comfortable, good things happen. I'm just trying to see the ball and hit it. I got lucky - they went over the fence."

The offensive onslaught made a winner of Manny Parra (7-2), who won his sixth straight decision. The 25-year-old lefthander, who has not lost since May 3, walked a season-high six batters - the same number he had in three previous June starts - and allowed three runs and five hits with a season-low one strikeout.

"It was just one of those days where you're just struggling to find your command," Parra said. "With the offense scoring a bunch of runs and the defense making a lot of plays behind me, it helps. The offense deserves a ton of credit. They're able to take the game over when it was such a struggle (for me) early on."

Salomon Torres induced the Orioles' fifth double play - tying a Brewers' franchise record - in the ninth to pick up his 12th save and improve to 11-for-11 in save opportunities since taking over the closer's role in late May.

"They always say the double play is a pitcher's best friend," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We struggled all day long with our command. Anytime you walk 10 guys and only one scored, double plays are coming up huge."

Olson allowed four runs on four hits and a walk in five innings.

"This team has been hitting the long ball well lately," Olson said. "I felt like overall I threw the ball pretty well. There are just a couple of pitches I'd like to have back."

Kevin Millar knocked in two runs and Brian Roberts doubled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games for the Orioles, who failed to win their third consecutive series for the second time this season.