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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, May 15, 2010

Victorino homers, drives in 4 as Phillies top Brewers


Associated Press

MILWAUKEE — Maui's Shane Victorino homered and drove in four runs, and the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen held on in a 10-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers today.

Staked to a 9-2 lead after Victorino's two-run homer in the sixth inning and Philadelphia's five runs off reliever Claudio Vargas in the seventh, Joe Blanton (1-2) and the Phillies' bullpen made it interesting.

Corey Hart's three-run shot in the seventh cut it to 9-5. Milwaukee pushed across another run in the ninth and loaded the bases, but 38-year-old Jose Contreras earned his first career save by striking out the final two batters.

The scuffling Brewers also got homers from Prince Fielder and pinch-hitter Alcides Escobar, but have been hospitable hosts to everyone, falling to 4-13 at Miller Park.

The Brewers are off to their worst start at Miller Park after equaling their 1985 mark at County Stadium. They've lost five in a row overall, and seven straight at home for the first time in eight years.

Blanton left with a 9-5 lead and the Phillies made it 10-5 in the eighth, but in the ninth reliever David Herndon allowed an RBI double to Hart and left with runners on second and third.

Contreras, filling in for injured closer Brad Lidge, walked pinch-hitter George Kottaras with one out before striking out Rickie Weeks and Craig Counsell to end it.

The NL East-leading Phillies improved to 12-7 on the road, tops in the NL.

Victorino's shot in the sixth just cleared the left-field wall to give Philadelphia a 4-1 lead.

The Phillies roughed up Vargas for five more runs in the seventh, including third-string catcher Paul Hoover's two-run double as Philadelphia took a 9-2 lead.

Blanton was sharp through six innings in his third start since starting the season on the disabled list with an oblique strain, but gave up the homer to Hart in the seventh and didn't return for the eighth.

Victorino sparked the Phillies in the second with an RBI single, and Chase Utley followed two batters later with two on and two outs by hitting a deep fly to the right-field wall.

The ball hit the wall, caromed directly at Hart's left foot and then bounced over the wall. Umpires ruled it a ground-rule double for Utley that made it 2-0. If the ball had hit Hart's foot and never touched the ground, it would've been a home run, but replays were inconclusive.

Brewers starter Chris Narveson (3-1) threw 130 pitches, tops in the majors this season, and still couldn't get through six innings. Milwaukee's inconsistent offense also failed to score when it counted. Fielder's homer in the fifth cut the lead to 2-1, Escobar's shot in the sixth made it 4-2 and Hart's drive in the seventh trimmed it to 9-5.