Brewers enjoy 4th fireworks
The Milwaukee Brewers hit so many home runs in the fourth inning yesterday that manager Ned Yost lost track.
''You don't really sit there and count them down," he said. ''There was some confusion on the bench if there were four or five home runs."
There were definitely five -- which tied a major league record -- to spark a seven-run fourth in Milwaukee's 11-0 victory over visiting Cincinnati. Bill Hall, Damian Miller, Brady Clark, J.J. Hardy, and Prince Fielder all connected, marking the first time in 40 years a team hit five homers in one inning.
The last club to do it was the Minnesota Twins on June 9, 1966, in the seventh against the Kansas City Athletics. Three other teams have accomplished the feat: the 1939 New York Giants, 1949 Philadelphia Phillies, and 1961 San Francisco Giants -- all against Cincinnati as well.
Miller went 4 for 4 with three doubles and five RBIs, and Dave Bush (2-1) pitched a four-hitter with a season-high nine strikeouts for his second career shutout and fourth complete game.
Brandon Claussen (1-2) gave up nine runs and eight hits in three-plus innings. He failed to get an out in the fourth while giving up the first four Brewers home runs in the inning.
Milwaukee sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth. Hall led off with a homer, Rickie Weeks followed with a single to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games, and Miller hit a two-run shot to left.
Bush singled, and Clark and Hardy followed with back-to-back homers, chasing Claussen. Chris Hammond came on and struck out Geoff Jenkins and Carlos Lee before Fielder homered to right. Hall flied out to end the inning, and the fans greeted the out with a standing ovation.
Claussen said he will do his best to forget the performance. ''I am not that bad a pitcher," he said. ''I am in the major leagues."
Astros 3, Pirates 0 -- Taylor Buchholz threw an eye-opening gem for his first major league win, coming within one out of a one-hit shutout in Houston's win over visiting Pittsburgh.
The 24-year-old rookie allowed only singles by Jeromy Burnitz in the fifth inning and Jack Wilson in the ninth. He struck out five and walked none in his second career start and fourth appearance.
Rangers 6, Devil Rays 5 -- Michael Young hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth to lift Texas over Tampa Bay in Arlington, Texas.
Francisco Cordero (2-2) got the win despite giving up a tying three-run drive to Ty Wigginton in the ninth. Wigginton has homered in seven of his last 11 games and has eight this season.
Tigers 2, Mariners 0 -- Nate Robertson and two relievers combined on a two-hitter and Craig Monroe homered as Detroit won in Seattle. Robertson (2-2) allowed two hits and two walks and hit a batter in seven innings. Jamie Walker and Fernando Rodney combined to retire the last six hitters, with Rodney getting his fourth save in four opportunities.
Royals 11, Indians 5 -- Doug Mientkiewicz doubled, tripled, and drove in two runs and Emil Brown drove in three more as Kansas City ended its 11-game losing streak, beating visiting Cleveland.
Angels 5, Athletics 4 -- In Oakland, Garret Anderson went 4 for 4 and homered for the second straight game and former Dodger Jeff Weaver earned his first win with his new Los Angeles team.
Yankees 6, Orioles 1 -- Shawn Chacon gave up one run and four hits in seven innings and Hideki Matsui had a two-run double as host New York beat Baltimore.
Cardinals 4, Cubs 1 -- Albert Pujols's two-run single with the bases loaded snapped a fifth-inning tie, helping St. Louis grind out a victory over visiting Chicago.
White Sox 9, Twins 2 -- Jermaine Dye hit a three-run homer and Jim Thome added a two-run drive to help host Chicago win its seventh straight game.
Rain forced postponement of Florida's game at Philadelphia and Atlanta's game in Washington. The Marlins-Phillies game was rescheduled for July 30 as part of a split doubleheader; Atlanta-Washington was rescheduled for Sept. 18.
Instead of pushing back Washington pitcher Ramon Ortiz one day so he could appear tonight -- as the Braves did with their scheduled starter, righthander John Thomson -- Nationals manager Frank Robinson will send Ortiz to the bullpen until his spot comes up again. ''I'm not happy about that. I know it's Frank's decision, but I'm not happy," Ortiz said. ''I don't like that, because I'm not a rookie."
Ortiz (0-2, 7.31 ERA) has struggled after joining the Nationals on a $2.5 million, one-year deal.
