Brewers Discover Winning Formula

For the Dodgers, it was one of those games, the kind that reminded them why they are going home today instead of into the postseason.

Everything the Milwaukee Brewers tried seemed to work in a 6-1 victory over the Dodgers Saturday night at Dodger Stadium in front of a crowd of 30,645.

Example: Milwaukee center fielder Marquis Grissom had never two home runs in a game over a span of 1,280 games and 4,997 at-bats.

Saturday night, he broke his streak, hitting his ninth and 10th of the season, solo homers in the fourth and eighth innings.

“Any time you hit a home run, you feel good,” Grissom said. “Two is extra special.”

Example: With runners on second and third and two out in the seventh inning, Brewer shortstop Fernando Vina dropped a bunt on the first-base side. Dodger starter Carlos Perez (11-14) came over, but slipped as he attempted to scoop the ball, a run scoring.

Example: The play was even more costly to the Dodgers because Perez injured his left index finger when he fell. He tried pitching to the next batter but had to leave the game.

Perez had pitched complete games in each of his last four outings, a career high. After he left, having given up two runs in six innings, the Brewers broke the game open.

Example: With two Brewers aboard and nobody out in the ninth inning, Brewer Manager Phil Garner sent up one pitcher up to bat for another.

Brad Woodall was batting to bunt for David Weathers. But after attempting to bunt once, Woodall faked another with the infield up and then took a full swing.

The ball, a line drive, appeared to be on target to hit baserunner Gregory Martinez as he headed to third, but Martinez managed to twist his body while accelerating, leaving a clear path into left field for the ball.

That scored a run and, one out later, Mark Loretta added a two-run single to put the game out of reach.

“The play of the night was Woodall,” Garner said.

While the Brewers were scoring runs, the Dodgers, who had won the previous two games in this series and four of five overall, were struggling on a night when they left eight men on base.

Despite a perfect night at the plate for Eric Karros, who went three for three with two singles, a double and a walk, the only Dodger run came across in the seventh when Matt Luke opened up with his 12 home run.

Karros, who began the season on the disabled list because of a knee injury, has a chance to tie his career high in season average. His big game Saturday boosted him to .292. If he were to go four for four today, he would be at .298, equaling his 1995 season average.