W: Jeff Fulchino (5-4)
L: Dave Weathers (3-4)
S: Jose Valverde (16)
MVP: Ryan Braun (+.258)
LVP: Dave Weathers (-.473)
Win Expectancy Graph
SB Nation Coverage
Ryan Braun kicked things off with a two-run home run in the first inning and for a while it looked like that would be all the Brewers needed. Braden Looper sailed through five innings, the only damage coming on a Michael Bourn RBI triple. Then the sixth inning arrived and Looper remembered he gives up home runs with frightening regularity. A walk to Lance Berkman, a fastball that caught Carlos Lee in the ribs, and a Geoff Blum home run quickly made it 4-2. Hunter Pence followed with a towering shot down the left field line that was ruled a round-tripper but overturned on replay. The review break was enough of a breather for Looper to get through the inning. The Brewers came right back to regain the lead as Prince Fielder hit his 30th home run of the season to tie it and Alcides Escobar made setting up a double play backfire by beating out a grounder for his first career RBI.
It stayed 5-4 until the eighth inning, when David Weathers came in to try and silence the heart of the Houston order. Berkman walked, but two quick outs followed. Hunter Pence then hit a legitimate home run to put the Astros up 6-5. Two more baserunners forced Ken Macha to bring in Mark DiFelice. DiFelice gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Jason Michaels, making it 7-5. Mitch Stetter then entered and finally got the third out of the inning.
The Astros weren't done, scoring another run in the ninth off Stetter before Jesus Colome finished things for the Crew. Down by three, Alcides Escobar flied out, Felipe Lopez hit a ground-rule double, Craig Counsell popped out, Ryan Braun hit an infield single to second, and Prince Fielder stepped in as the tying run. The big fella got a hold of one, but Hunter Pence caught it half a step in front of the wall to end the game.