Aoki helps Brewers top Marlins 6-5
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pinch-hitter Norichika Aoki drove in the go-ahead run with a safety squeeze in the eighth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Monday night.
Rickie Weeks sparked the winning rally with a leadoff double. He moved up on Martin Maldonado's single to right and scored when Aoki greeted Randy Choate with a bunt single that gave Milwaukee a 6-5 lead.
Steve Cishek then replaced Choate and retired the next three batters to give Miami a chance, but John Axford retired the Marlins in order for his 14th save.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Justin Ruggiano hit a two-run homer and finished with a career-high four RBIs for Miami, which committed three errors that led to two unearned runs. Third baseman Hanley Ramirez had two of the miscues.
Zack Greinke allowed five runs and six hits in six innings for Milwaukee, but remained unbeaten in 22 home starts since he was acquired by the Brewers.
Carlos Gomez homered in the fifth and pinch-hitter Travis Ishikawa came through with a tying two-run single in the sixth, handing a no-decision to Milwaukee's best starter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Miami right-hander Carlos Zambrano also worked six innings, allowing five runs, three earned, and five hits. He struck out two, walked four and hit a batter.
Miami got off to a nice start. Jose Reyes and Ramirez started the game with consecutive singles and Giancarlo Stanton then walked to load the bases. After Logan Morrison struck out, Ruggiano got the Marlins the lead with a two-run single.
Morrison hit an RBI double in the third before Ruggiano drove a full-count pitch over the wall in left for his third homer, making it 5-2.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zambrano, who entered with a 13-10 record in 34 career appearances against Milwaukee, hurt himself with a lack of control. He hit Ryan Braun with two down in the first, then walked three consecutive batters to force in a run.
Greinke added a sacrifice fly in the second to tie it at 2.
Kameron Loe, Francisco Rodriguez (1-4) and Axford combined for three innings of one-hit ball for Milwaukee. Rodriguez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ryan Webb (3-2) gave up Weeks' hit and got the loss.
NOTES: The Brewers observed a moment of silence before the game in honor of grounds crew member Jeff Adcock, who suffered a heart attack and died Sunday during a game against Arizona. ... Zambrano hit Braun on the elbow and when the pitcher came to bat in the second, he was buzzed by Greinke, leading to a warning being issued to both benches by plate umpire Derryl Cousins . Greinke is 15-0 record at Miller Park since joining the Brewers prior to last season. . Miami C John Buck was ejected by Cousins in the sixth inning for arguing a check-swing strikeout. ... The Brewers won for the fourth time in five games while the Marlins' had their four-game winning streak snapped.