Valentin’s Triple Leads Brewers, 11-7

Jose Valentin hit a bases-loaded triple in his first game back from the disabled list and Scott Karl won for the first time in 10 starts as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Oakland Athletics, 11-7, Monday night.

Valentin, who missed three weeks because of a broken left middle finger, helped prevent Karl (1-5) from becoming the first pitcher in the team’s history to start 0-6.

Karl was lifted after a laborious five-inning, 121-pitch effort sandwiched around a 26-minute rain delay. He then watched his teammates turn a 3-2 deficit into an 8-3 lead with a fifth-inning rally.

That seemingly safe lead, however, dwindled to 8-7 when Bob Wickman gave up four runs and six hits in the seventh, including Mark McGwire’s 12th homer.

Gerald Williams’ two-run homer off Mark Acre in the bottom of the seventh made the score, 10-7. Jeromy Burnitz added an run-scoring single off Buddy Groom in the eighth.

Oakland starter Dave Telgheder (0-2) gave up six earned runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Dave Nilsson’s sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 3-3, and John Jaha’s liner out of shortstop Rafael Bournigal’s reach scored Burnitz for a 4-3 lead and ended Telgheder’s night.

Marc Newfield drew a walk from reliever Richie Lewis to load the bases, and Valentin’s triple made the score, 7-3. Valentin then scored on an error by Scott Brosius.

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