Fielder HR pushes Brewers past Cards, into 1st

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When games finished on May 8, the Brewers were a season high 6 games under .500 and were only one game out of last place in the NL Central. Since then, the Brewers have gone 24-and-8, the most wins in the majors in that span and their win Sunday puts them in 1st place for the first time this season.

MILWAUKEE -- Prince Fielder cautioned against making too much out of the Milwaukee Brewers' sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Fielder's go-ahead homer in the sixth rallied the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 victory over St. Louis on Sunday as the Brewers knocked the Cardinals out of first place in the NL Central. "I don't know about a statement," Fielder said of taking three from the Cardinals and gaining the top spot in the division. "It's just good right now. We're playing good baseball. Like I said we haven't been in first place for about a year or two now." Fielder's 19th home run chased Jake Westbrook (6-4) who carried a shutout into the sixth. "I'm just happy I'm coming through," Fielder said. "It's always fun." His blast prompted a curtain call which he reluctantly did. "I'm shy, man. It's cool though," he said. "I appreciate it from the fans. It's kind of cool, especially in the moment." Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa didn't want to assign a whole lot of anguish toward the three losses. "I don't want to be melodramatic," he said. "This is June and we have to be ready for Washington on Tuesday. We came in here to win a series and they outmanaged us and outplayed us." Rickie Weeks started the rally with a single and then scored on Mark Kotsay's double. Ryan Braun drove in Kotsay with a single before Fielder smashed the first pitch 440 feet into the second deck in right field for a two-run homer. Fielder, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs, now has 58 RBIs to extend his lead in the NL. With the victory, the Brewers (38-28) took sole possession of first place for the first time since July 9, 2009. It moved them 10 games over .500 for the first time since they were 33-23 on June 6, 2009. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was happy with the team's progress, especially after starting the season poorly. "It's way too early, but I like how we're playing," he said. The Cardinals (38-29) had been in first since May 19, but have now lost four of the last five and were swept at Miller Park for the first time since April 30-May 2, 2007. Fielder's eighth home run over the last 10 games helped Milwaukee improve its major-league best home record to 25-9. It also set a franchise record for the best start at home. Shaun Marcum (7-2) won for the first time since May 21, a span of three starts that included a loss and then consecutive no decisions. He had never faced the Cardinals. He allowed three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and a walk over seven innings. Kameron Loe pitched a scoreless eighth. John Axford converted his 15th straight save opportunity and 18th out of 20 overall in the ninth. He got a huge lift when Carlos Gomez, a ninth-inning defensive replacement for Kotsay in center, made a spectacular catch in the ninth. Gomez raced back at full speed and turned to catch Rasmus' fly ball just before crashing into the wall. "When I see it, then my instincts going to tell me what I have to do," Gomez said. The Cardinals looked as if they might avoid being swept when Skip Schumaker hit a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded for the first runs. Yadier Molina running from first had to duck as Schumaker's liner sailed over him and into right field. St. Louis tacked on another run on Rasmus' double in the sixth. Westbrook went five innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. Game notes
The Cardinals expect RHP Kyle McClellan (left hip flexor) and OF Matt Holliday (left quadriceps) to come off the disabled list this week. McClellan (6-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start on Wednesday against Washington. Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said Holliday went through a full workout before the game and should be activated on Thursday. ... Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols went 0 for 3 with a walk and had his nine-game hitting streak snapped. ... Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said that when Milwaukee plays the Red Sox in Boston next weekend, Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks might each take a turn at DHing. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

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Pack's Rodgers throws out 1st pitch for Brewers

MILWAUKEE -- Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers plans to talk to teammate Charles Woodson on Friday at a charity event about preparing offseason workouts for the Green Bay Packers while the NFL lockout closes in on a third month.

"We're going to put something together here because it looks like it's going to go a little bit longer, so it's going to be important for us to get together," Rodgers told Fox Sports Wisconsin on Thursday night.

Rodgers didn't give any additional details of the potential dates or locations of the workouts.

He was in Milwaukee to throw out the first pitch at Miller Park before the Brewers took on the New York Mets. He wore a No. 12 Brewers jersey and tossed a perfect pitch to good friend Ryan Braun.

Rodgers declined to speak to reporters before the game but joined the televised broadcast in the top of the fourth inning where he talked mostly about the Brewers and Wisconsin sports. He answered a few questions on the unresolved labor dispute and said it's time for Packers players to organize their own workouts soon.

"If this lockout persists, we're going to get together. Guys have gotten some great work individually, some have gotten together in groups of two or three," Rodgers said. "There's a lot of guys kind of in the same area working out, but at some point we're going to have to get together."

Rodgers said he'd definitely be involved in any activity planned and he'll get a chance to talk with his teammates in person next Thursday when the Packers will receive their Super Bowl rings in a private ceremony.

The Packers have received permission from the NFL to hold the ceremony despite the lockout that began on March 12.

Rodgers said he's optimistic about the Packers' future that general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy have built -- whenever the season begins.

"I think we're just reloading. We're bringing guys back off the injured reserve list, I like our draft. Ted Thompson has proven he's able to draft a lot of talented guys," Rodgers said. "You look at our roster, the majority of them were drafted by him and brought up in coach McCarthy's system and playing big roles for us."

Rodgers said he has spent the offseason working out and playing golf when he can during his time at home in California.

The organization decided to hold a private ring ceremony following a public celebration two days after their Super Bowl victory this year over the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25. Green Bay also plans to have another event when the Packers host the New Orleans Saints in the regular-season opener Sept. 8.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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