GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: HOUSTON (32-44) at MILWAUKEE (44-32)

NL: HOUSTON (32-44) at MILWAUKEE (44-32)

<h3>Vargas goes for fourth straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Houston (32-44) at Milwaukee (44-32) 8:05 pm EDT</div>

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Claudio Vargas seeks his fourth straightwin as the Milwaukee Brewers take on the Houston Astros onTuesday.

Vargas (6-1, 4.09 ERA) battled through five innings, allowingfour runs and four hits with four walks for a 7-5 triumph overthe San Francisco Giants last Wednesday.

The Dominican righthander is 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA in sevenlifetime matchups against Houston. On April 29, Vargas tossedfive scoreless innings as the Brewers posted a 3-1 win atHouston.

In the series opener, Ben Sheets picked up his ninth win andJ.J. Hardy returned to the lineup after missing three games tohit his 18th homer as Milwaukee posted a 6-1 victory.

Houston's Wandy Rodriguez (4-6, 4.20) takes the ball with thehopes of winning his second straight outing. Last Wednesday, heallowed four runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings in ano-decision at Anaheim.

In his previous against the Brewers, Rodriguez was hammered forsix runs in six frames of a 6-4 setback on April 21 here.

Houston second baseman Craig Biggio, who was rested in the seriesopener, is four hits shy of 3,000 in his career.

 

NL: HOUSTON (32-44) at MILWAUKEE (44-32)

<h3>Vargas goes for fourth straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Houston (32-44) at Milwaukee (44-32) 8:05 pm EDT</div>

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Claudio Vargas seeks his fourth straightwin as the Milwaukee Brewers take on the Houston Astros onTuesday.

Vargas (6-1, 4.09 ERA) battled through five innings, allowingfour runs and four hits with four walks for a 7-5 triumph overthe San Francisco Giants last Wednesday.

The Dominican righthander is 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA in sevenlifetime matchups against Houston. On April 29, Vargas tossedfive scoreless innings as the Brewers posted a 3-1 win atHouston.

In the series opener, Ben Sheets picked up his ninth win andJ.J. Hardy returned to the lineup after missing three games tohit his 18th homer as Milwaukee posted a 6-1 victory.

Houston's Wandy Rodriguez (4-6, 4.20) takes the ball with thehopes of winning his second straight outing. Last Wednesday, heallowed four runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings in ano-decision at Anaheim.

In his previous against the Brewers, Rodriguez was hammered forsix runs in six frames of a 6-4 setback on April 21 here.

Houston second baseman Craig Biggio, who was rested in the seriesopener, is four hits shy of 3,000 in his career.

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">HOUSTON AT MILWAUKEE -- LINEUPS

HOUSTON MILWAUKEE
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Craig Biggio 2B .238 5 26 Corey Hart RF .314 10 31
Hunter Pence CF .352 8 35 J.J. Hardy SS .285 18 50
Lance Berkman 1B .261 10 44 Ryan Braun 3B .327 5 19
Carlos Lee LF .291 13 60 Prince Fielder 1B .283 27 62
Mark Loretta SS .323 1 24 Bill Hall CF .268 9 34
Mike Lamb 3B .309 6 20 Johnny Estrada C .282 6 26
Luke Scott RF .243 7 33 Kevin Mench LF .275 2 17
Brad Ausmus C .265 1 16 Rickie Weeks 2B .247 5 18
Wandy Rodriguez LHP .182 0 1 Claudio Vargas RHP .100 0 0
(4-6, 4.20) (6-1, 4.09)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE
WARMUPS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ (4-6, 4.20)
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS (6-1, 4.09)

UMPIRES: HP - BILL WELKE
1B - LAZ DIAZ
2B - JOHN HIRSCHBECK
3B - WALLY BELL

WEATHER: 86 Degrees, cloudy
WIND: 13 mph, right to left</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE
STARTING BATS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ AND BRAD AUSMUS
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS AND JOHNNY ESTRADA

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C BIGGIO (.238, 5 HR, 26 RBI)
H PENCE (.352, 8 HR, 35 RBI)
L BERKMAN (.261, 10 HR, 44 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0
MILWAUKEE 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS

DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C HART (.314, 10 HR, 31 RBI)
J HARDY (.285, 18 HR, 50 RBI)
R BRAUN (.327, 5 HR, 19 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS MILWAUKEE (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Biggio 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .237
H Pence cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .352
L Berkman 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .260
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .290
M Loretta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .323
M Lamb 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .309
L Scott rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182

Totals 3 0 0 0 1 1 2

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Lee 1. Team LOB - 1.

BASERUNNING: SB - H Pence (7, 2nd base off C Vargas/J Estrada).


MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Hart rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .314
J Hardy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .285
R Braun 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .327
P Fielder 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283
B Hall cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268
J Estrada c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
K Mench lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .275
R Weeks 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
C Vargas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .100

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 0 -- 0
MILWAUKEE - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.20

MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era
C Vargas 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.03

Pitches-strikes: C Vargas 19-10. Ground balls-fly balls: C Vargas 0-2.
Batters faced: C Vargas 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Bill Welke. 1B--Laz Diaz. 2B--John Hirschbeck. 3B--Wally Bell.

Weather: 87 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, right to left.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE
CONFIRMED STARTERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL HOUSTON AT MILWAUKEE
NOTE: MILWAUKEE RIGHT FIELDER COREY HART EXTENDED HIS
HITTING STREAK TO 13 GAMES WITH A SINGLE IN THE FIRST INNING.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY RYAN BRAUN (6) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 1ST OFF WANDY RODRIGUEZ SCORED J.J. HARDY.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0, MILWAUKEE 2

DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: P FIELDER (.283, 27 HR, 62 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 0 0 0
MILWAUKEE 2 2 4 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M LORETTA (.323, 1 HR, 24 RBI)
M LAMB (.309, 6 HR, 20 RBI)
L SCOTT (.243, 7 HR, 33 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (0) VS MILWAUKEE (2) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Biggio 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .237
H Pence cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .352
L Berkman 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .260
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .290
M Loretta ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .323
M Lamb 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .309
L Scott rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265
W Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182

Totals 3 0 0 0 1 1 2

BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Lee 1. Team LOB - 1.

BASERUNNING: SB - H Pence (7, 2nd base off C Vargas/J Estrada).


MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Hart rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .318
J Hardy ss 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .284
R Braun 3b 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .333
P Fielder 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
B Hall cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .267
J Estrada c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
K Mench lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .273
R Weeks 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
C Vargas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .100

Totals 7 2 4 2 0 0 4

BATTING: HR - R Braun (6, 1st inning off W Rodriguez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - R
Braun 2 (21). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - K Mench 1. Team LOB -
2.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 0 -- 0
MILWAUKEE - 2 -- 2
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 1 4 2 2 0 0 1 4.36

MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era
C Vargas 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.03

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 21-14; C Vargas 19-10. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 3-0; C Vargas 0-2. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 7; C Vargas 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Bill Welke. 1B--Laz Diaz. 2B--John Hirschbeck. 3B--Wally Bell.

Weather: 87 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, right to left.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY LUKE SCOTT (8) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN THE
2ND OFF CLAUDIO VARGAS.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1, MILWAUKEE 2

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: B AUSMUS (.265, 1 HR, 16 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL AT MILWAUKEE - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BRAD AUSMUS (2) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN THE
2ND OFF CLAUDIO VARGAS.
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2, MILWAUKEE 2

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: W RODRIGUEZ (.182, 0 HR, 1 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 2 2 2 0
MILWAUKEE 2 2 4 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS

DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R WEEKS (.247, 5 HR, 18 RBI)
C VARGAS (.100, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
C HART (.318, 1-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (2) VS MILWAUKEE (2) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Biggio 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .237
H Pence cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .352
L Berkman 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .260
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .290
M Loretta ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321
M Lamb 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307
L Scott rf 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .247
B Ausmus c 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .269
W Rodriguez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174

Totals 8 2 2 2 1 1 2

BATTING: HR - L Scott (8, 2nd inning off C Vargas 0 on, 2 Out), B Ausmus (2,
2nd inning off C Vargas 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - L Scott (34), B Ausmus (17). 2-out
RBI - L Scott, B Ausmus. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Lee 1.
Team LOB - 1.

BASERUNNING: SB - H Pence (7, 2nd base off C Vargas/J Estrada).


MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Hart rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .318
J Hardy ss 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .284
R Braun 3b 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .333
P Fielder 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
B Hall cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .267
J Estrada c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
K Mench lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .273
R Weeks 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
C Vargas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .100

Totals 7 2 4 2 0 0 4

BATTING: HR - R Braun (6, 1st inning off W Rodriguez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - R
Braun 2 (21). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - K Mench 1. Team LOB -
2.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 02 -- 2
MILWAUKEE - 2 -- 2
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 1 4 2 2 0 0 1 4.36

MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era
C Vargas 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 4.22

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 21-14; C Vargas 36-21. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 3-0; C Vargas 2-3. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 7; C Vargas 9.

UMPIRES: HP--Bill Welke. 1B--Laz Diaz. 2B--John Hirschbeck. 3B--Wally Bell.

Weather: 87 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, right to left.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL HOUSTON AT MILWAUKEE
NOTE: THE HOME RUNS BY HOUSTON'S LUKE SCOTT AND BRAD AUSMUS
IN THE SECOND INNING WERE HIT BACK-TO-BACK.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 2 2 2 0
MILWAUKEE 2 0 2 4 0 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C BIGGIO (.237, 0-FOR-1)
H PENCE (.352, 0-FOR-0, BB)
L BERKMAN (.260, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (2) VS MILWAUKEE (2) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Biggio 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .237
H Pence cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .352
L Berkman 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .260
C Lee lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .290
M Loretta ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321
M Lamb 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307
L Scott rf 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .247
B Ausmus c 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .269
W Rodriguez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174

Totals 8 2 2 2 1 1 2

BATTING: HR - L Scott (8, 2nd inning off C Vargas 0 on, 2 Out), B Ausmus (2,
2nd inning off C Vargas 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - L Scott (34), B Ausmus (17). 2-out
RBI - L Scott, B Ausmus. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Lee 1.
Team LOB - 1.

BASERUNNING: SB - H Pence (7, 2nd base off C Vargas/J Estrada).


MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Hart rf 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 .318
J Hardy ss 2 1 0 0 0 1 2 .283
R Braun 3b 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .333
P Fielder 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
B Hall cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .267
J Estrada c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .285
K Mench lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .273
R Weeks 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .246
C Vargas p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .095

Totals 10 2 4 2 1 2 5

BATTING: HR - R Braun (6, 1st inning off W Rodriguez 1 on, 1 Out). RBI - R
Braun 2 (21). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - K Mench 1, J Hardy 1.
Team LOB - 3.

BASERUNNING: SB - C Hart (16, 2nd base off W Rodriguez/B Ausmus).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 02 -- 2
MILWAUKEE - 20 -- 2
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
W Rodriguez 2 4 2 2 1 2 1 4.31

MILWAUKEE ip h r er bb so hr era
C Vargas 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 4.22

Pitches-strikes: W Rodriguez 43-27; C Vargas 36-21. Ground balls-fly balls: W
Rodriguez 4-0; C Vargas 2-3. Batters faced: W Rodriguez 11; C Vargas 9.

UMPIRES: HP--Bill Welke. 1B--Laz Diaz. 2B--John Hirschbeck. 3B--Wally Bell.

Weather: 87 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 13 mph, right to left.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 0 2 0 2 3 0
MILWAUKEE 2 0 2 4 0 (BOT 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - WANDY RODRIGUEZ
MIL - CLAUDIO VARGAS

DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: R BRAUN (.333, 1-FOR-1, HR, 2 RBI)
P FIELDER (.285, 1-FOR-1)
B HALL (.267, 0-FOR-1)</div>