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Kapler, Hardy give Brewers series win over Houston

Aug 20, 2008 - 10:23 PM By Dave Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers made the few chances they got count.

Despite collecting just four hits, the Brewers beat the Houston Astros, 5-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Miller Park.

J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder drove in two runs apiece and Manny Parra (10-6) snapped a personal four-game losing streak as the Brewers won the rubber game of their three-game set with Houston and claimed the season series, 8-7.

"It was definitely a big win today," Hardy said. "I know that we all feel pretty good about where we're at, but we've just got to take one game at a time and not get too caught up in it and just go out there and play every day."

With All-Star left fielder Ryan Braun sidelined once again with a nagging back injury, his replacement, journeyman Gabe Kapler, did more than enough damage. After doubling in the game's first run in the bottom of the first, Kapler stopped a potential Houston rally four innings later.

With two runners on in the top of the fifth, Geoff Blum lined a single to left. Mark Loretta, Kapler's former teammate in Boston, tried to score from second, but Kapler threw him out to end the inning and preserve Milwaukee's 3-2 lead.

"It was one of those days where I had nothing, but the defense helped me out and the bullpen came in and shut them down," Parra said. "But if I can go out there and have nothing and go five innings and we get a win, it doesn't really matter."

The Brewers struck early against Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez (7-6), staking Parra to a 3-0 lead through three innings. After Kapler's run-scoring double put the Brewers on the board, Prince Fielder knocked in runs with a pair of sacrifice flies in his first two at-bats.

"Prince Fielder had a great offensive day - two big sacrifice flies against a tough lefthanded pitcher like Wandy," Brewers manager Ned Yost said.

After Kapler helped get the Brewers out of trouble in the fifth, Hardy provided some much-needed insurance in the seventh, greeting reliever Doug Brocail with a two-run homer into the left-center field seats to give Milwaukee a 5-2 cushion.

Parra lasted just five innings but won for the first time since July 20. He allowed six hits and two runs with four walks in what was his shortest starting appearance since June 22.

Carlos Villanueva pitched two scoreless innings, Eric Gagne got in and out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and Salomon Torres pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.

"They were trying their best to give it to us," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "We didn't come up with a big hit when we needed one, particularly in the eighth inning. That was the game right there. We had the bases loaded and two pitches later, the inning was over."

In the eighth, Gagne gave up a bunt single to Miguel Tejada and hit Lance Berkman with a pitch. Fielder then made an error on a slow grounder down the first-base line to load the bases with nobody out. But Hunter Pence hit into a 1-2-3 double play and Reggie Abercrombie grounded out. The wild inning lasted only eight pitches.

"I was just thinking about one pitch, keep it down and try to get a ground ball somewhere," Gagne said.

Rodriguez went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs - two earned - and six hits. The lefthander walked five, including four leadoff batters, and struck out six.

"Today, that was my problem, walking the leadoff batter every inning," Rodriguez said. "If I don't give up walks, those runs don't happen."