ATLANTA —
ATLANTA (AP) — Corey Hart hit a three-run double in Milwaukee’s five-run seventh, Chris Narveson outpitched Tim Hudson and the Brewers beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Saturday night.
Prince Fielder hit his 21st homer in the Brewers’ big seventh and was hit by a pitch in the eighth, leading to ejections for Braves reliever Jonny Venters and manager Bobby Cox.
Venters threw a pitch over Fielder’s head, then hit the stocky slugger on his back with his next offering. It was Cox’s 156th ejection of his career, adding to his record, and third of the season.
Matt Diaz and Eric Hinske homered for Atlanta.
Narveson (8-6) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. John Axford recorded the final four outs for his 11th save.
Hudson (9-5) carried a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning but couldn’t hold on for the win. Fielder led off with a drive to center on a 1-2 pitch. With two out, Rickie Weeks walked with the bases loaded to force in the tiebreaking run and Hart greeted reliever Peter Moylan with a bases-clearing double.
Hudson allowed a season-high six runs in 6 2-3 innings. He also gave up six hits and walked four, including three in the seventh.
Plate umpire Angel Hernandez warned both benches after Venters’ pitch over Fielder’s head. Fielder threw his bat down and glared at Venters after he was plunked, and Hernandez put his arm around the first baseman and escorted him down the line.
Fielder took a big hop after his homer and carried his bat halfway down the first-base line, possibly prompting the reaction from Venters.
Cox rested left-handed hitters Jason Heyward and Brian McCann, and stocked his lineup with righties. The manager’s strategy likely was influenced by lefty hitters’ .204 batting average against Narveson, compared with right-handers’ .335 average against the left-hander.
Omar Infante started for Heyward in right field, David Ross was the fill-in catcher and Diaz, hitting only .218, opened in right field. Brooks Conrad played third for another switch-hitter, Chipper Jones, who was held out with a hamstring injury.
Heyward had a pinch-hit single off Kameron Loe in the seventh. McCann struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Jones lined out to left field as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
Weeks scored on Fielder’s double-play grounder in the fourth, giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead, but the Braves responded in the bottom half.
Alex Gonzalez hit a one-out single up the middle, giving the shortstop hits in each of his three games since he was acquired from Toronto on Wednesday. With two out, Diaz reached down to whip his bat around on a low pitch, sending his second homer of the season over the left-field wall.
NOTES: All-Star RHP Yovani Gallardo is expected to come off the 15-day disabled list and start at Pittsburgh on Thursday. Manager Ken Macha said LHP Chris Capuano will come out of the bullpen to start Monday’s series opener against the Pirates. ... Attendance was 48,174, a sellout.
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Hart, Fielder power Brewers past Braves
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Wildcats close spring practice
VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Wildcats put their finishing touches on spring practice Saturday night with the playing of their annual spring game at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
No score was kept in the game, but the Wildcats did play best-on-best, pitting the starting offense against the starting defense. -
Ely backs out of VHS softball job
VALDOSTA — Two months ago, the Valdosta High School softball team received a huge burst of excitement with the hire of Kristina Ely. -
Fans welcome home champion Blazers
Much like it had done all season, the local Valdosta community showed its support for the National Champion Valdosta State softball team Sunday.
The support started when the team reached the Georgia state-line on its trip home Sunday morning when it was greeted by 13 police vehicles -
COLUMN: Blazers title win caps off another year of local sports
The Valdosta State softball teams 4-1 victory over UC-San Diego in the Division II National Championship Game capped off another season of local area sports.
The next thing to look forward to will be the start of football training camps in August. -
Valdosta teammates Foster, Bridges sign with Albany State
Valdosta basketball players Sierra Foster and LaPorchia Bridges have been teammates for years. Now they will remain teammates at the next level.
Foster and Bridges have both signed letters of intent to play basketball for Albany State next year. -
David Dean youth football camp set for May 29 start
The David Dean Youth Football Camp is quickly approaching.
The fourth annual camp will be held May 29-June 1 at the Athletic Fieldhouse off Mary Street. -
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
The Valdosta State softball team faced all kinds of adversity throughout the national tournament. After losing to UC-San Diego in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday, the Blazers staved off four elimination games en route to an appearance in the Division II National Championship Game on Saturday afternoon.
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VSU seniors come up big at national level
For the eight seniors on the Valdosta State softball team, Saturday’s 4-1 win in the national championship game capped off a four-year run filled with success.
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Blazers to play on championship Saturday
The Valdosta State softball team advanced to the final day of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Tournament following two wins on Friday.
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VSU beats Southern Connecticut State, 6-3
Morgan Johnson hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to carry the top-ranked Valdosta State Blazers past the Southern Connecticut Owls, 6-3, on Friday morning.
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Wildcats close spring practice
