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MILWAUKEE -- No confrontations. Robert Griffin III Red Jersey . One hit batter. Two stars on the bench. The Milwaukee Brewers withstood the early exits of outfielders Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun by pounding out 12 hits against Gerrit Cole and two Pittsburgh Pirates relievers in the teams first meeting since a benches-clearing brawl last month. Jonathan Lucroy hit a bases-loaded, two-run single and Marco Estrada had eight strikeouts through six choppy innings in the Brewers 5-2 win Tuesday night. "The other guys are getting on base," manager Ron Roenicke said. "When everybodys contributing it means were getting a lot of people on base through the lineup." Gomez scored the second run on Lucroys single in the third after getting hit by a changeup from Cole (3-3). No heated exchange of words on Tuesday, unlike April 20 when Cole and Gomez got into it on a play at third in Pittsburgh. Gomez and both managers had signalled they were over the ill will left over from a brawl that led to suspensions. Gomez even smiled at first after getting hit by the off-speed pitch in the third, and he scored three batters later on Lucroys bases-loaded single. Cole said he hasnt spoken with Gomez since the brawl, but that they did exchange nods before Gomezs first at-bat. "I think pretty much everybodys on the same page about this. I think weve all moved on," Cole said. Gomez left after the fifth with a tight back that began bothering him Monday. Braun was activated from the disabled list earlier Tuesday, and his departure after the sixth was planned as he gets acclimated in his return from a right oblique injury. Earlier Tuesday, third baseman Aramis Ramirez was placed on the disabled list with a pulled left hamstring. All those players down and the Brewers still scratched out five runs and the dozen hits throughout the lineup. Five came from reserves, including two apiece from the guys who replaced Braun and Gomez -- Khris Davis and the newly called-up Elian Herrera. "Everybodys contributing ... Its important to have that depth on the bench and have guys step up and get it going," Lucroy said. Neil Walker hit a solo homer that landed on the concourse beyond left-centre in the first to extend his hitting streak to five for Pittsburgh. It was one of six hits allowed by Estrada, who looked like he was having trouble much off the night locating his off-speed stuff. He needed 112 pitches to get through his outing, though Roenicke liked how Estrada missed low instead of instead down the middle when getting into trouble. "Threw some great pitches but just couldnt get it locked in where he could just go through an easy inning," Roenicke said. "He did a great job of making the pitches when he needed to and finished up with a real nice ballgame. Jean Segura added two hits, the second after a shot up the middle deflected off the mound and squirted in between first and second to allow Lucroy to score from second for a four-run lead in the seventh. Francisco Rodriguez tossed a hitless ninth for his 16th save, bouncing back from his first blown save on Sunday. Pitching has played a crucial role with Milwaukee racing out to a 25-14 mark and the NL Central lead -- all while enduring injuries to key hitters. Braun finished 0 for 2 with a walk, striking out swinging in the fifth with runners on second and third. Cole allowed seven hits, three walks and three runs in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander with a fastball that reached 100 mph struck out six. "He had to do some yard work tonight in a couple of those innings with men on base and he showed up well," Hurdle said about his developing young hurler. Notes: The Brewers challenged an out call on Lyle Overbays grounder that deflected off the mound with one out and a runner on in the seventh. The call stood after a review of roughly 3 1/2 minutes. ...... Gomez and Pirates OF Travis Snider, who exchanged shoves during last months brawl, ran into each other at a Milwaukee steakhouse during an off day Monday. "We shook hands, he gave me a hug and everything is cool. ... No hard feelings," Gomez said before the game. ... Pittsburgh sends Francisco Liriano (0-3) to the mound Wednesday against Milwaukees Wily Peralta (4-2). Perry Riley Gold Jersey . Now Samardzija has his second win in three starts for a team trying to turn around its season. Samardzija tossed seven solid innings, Junior Lake hit two home runs and Emilio Bonifacio added a two-run shot as the Cubs extended their winning streak to five with a 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday. Andre Roberts Gold Jersey . Johnson, 34, appeared in three games for the Baltimore Orioles last season after being acquired from the New York Yankees organization on Aug. 30. The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Coon Rapids, Minn.CARDIFF -- Wales gave a two-time defending champions response to a demoralizing defeat by whipping France 27-6 and keeping its Six Nations title defence alive on Friday. So shaken to the core was Wales by its 26-3 demolition from Ireland, the only unbeaten team left in the championship, that coach Warren Gatland warned his British Lions-laden side that careers were on the line under the Millennium Stadium roof. The players answer was a robust performance of power, pace and poise, adding up to a third straight win over France last achieved 42 years ago. "That was the response we were looking for," captain Sam Warburton said. "We knew we had it in us." He admitted playing for their jobs was also an incentive. "We said in the week that we dont want to take our places for granted. We have probably worked our hardest in the last two weeks," he said. Stand-in centre George North scored after five minutes and fullback Leigh Halfpennys boot punished frequent French errors and a second-rate scrum with five penalties that propped up a 20-6 halftime lead. When Warburton reached out to plant the ball on the line in the 64th, the score became Wales biggest win over France at home since 1950. That margin will be vital in terms of points difference in the standings if Wales, which jumped over previously unbeaten France into second place, can stay on track and Ireland lose somewhere. The Irish are at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales performance wasnt assured beforehand, certainly not after lock Alun-Wyn Jones, who captained the Lions in their series-clinching win in Australia last year, withdrew just before the match with a foot injury. That gave a second Welshman, Jake Ball, his first test start beside scrumhalf Rhys Webb, whose zippy pass was a big factor in Wales frantic start. Five minutes in, lineout ball was spread left and inside centre Jamie Roberts drew two defenders. North gave Halfpenny an overlap and he chipped ahead. France fullback Bruce Dulin claimed the ball just before the tryline, but he was accidentally clipped in the head by teammate Jean-Marc Doussain and dropped the ball, which North pounced on in goal. Kirk Cousins Red Jersey. Halfpenny couldnt convert. He seemed to kick only the hardest goalkicks, and France kept giving him chances, especially from a scrum that Wales eventually got on top of. Captain Pascal Pape conceded the second penalty from a ruck, and tighthead prop Nicolas Mas the third for slipping in a scrum. Wesley Fofana was milked by North in a ruck for Halfpennys fourth, and a tighthead conceded just before halftime ended up giving Halfpenny his fifth penalty. Moments before then, referee Alain Rolland told both captains the scrum was a mess and threatened to dish out cards. He upheld his promise in the 50th, sin-binning Mas and counterpart Gethin Jenkins. By then, Wales was in charge and the outmuscled French had few options. "It was a catastrophic first half, our discipline was poor, and we gave away too many penalties," France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said. "We were totally apathetic in the first half." Dulin said, "They got on top of us very quickly and we couldnt pull ourselves together. We didnt go about things the right way. "We didnt start the game well and they just gained in confidence. After their match against Ireland they really wanted to put their foot down." France had a try rightfully disallowed early in the first half for a knockon, but the backs received no ball and didnt go close again until the 50th, when centre Mathieu Bastareaud slipped North and was stopped just short of the tryline, and couldnt offload to Dulin or winger Hugo Bonneval. The French backs were more involved in the second half, but Wales defence was smothering. Frustrated No. 8 Louis Picamoles got himself sin-binned in the 62nd and Wales took advantage. From a Roberts barging run up the middle, Warburton charged off a ruck and just managed in a double tackle with an outstretched arm to put the ball on the line. With 10 minutes to go, Wales substituted Adam Jones and Jenkins, Ball, Dan Lydiate, Webb, Rhys Priestland and Halfpenny, and all were cheered off as returning heroes deserve to be. ' ' ' |
