Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer, J-J Hardy homered and extended his hitting streak to 19 games and the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers beat the Washington Nationals 6-to-4 tonight at Miller Park.
The Brewers, winners of five straight, are 8-and-1 on their ten-game homestand that ends tomorrow. The Nationals have lost seven in a row.
Milwaukee, with the best record in baseball at 23-and-10, also spoiled Jason Simontacchi's return to the majors. Simontacchi had not appeared in the big leagues since 2004. He spent the entire 2005 season recovering from shoulder surgery and 2006 in the minors.
He was called up earlier today and had the top three batters in the Milwaukee lineup, Rickie Weeks, Fielder and Hardy, fooled early with his deceptive changeup.
But in the sixth inning, Weeks led off with a single up the middle and Hardy extended his hitting streak with a double off the left field wall. Then Fielder hit his homer to put the Brewers ahead 4-to-1.
Hardy homered in the eighth inning and Johnny Estrada added a solo homer in the ninth for the Brewers.
Dave bush got the win and Francisco Cordero pitched thge ninth for his 14th save of the season.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
