MILWAUKEE – As far as Don Mattingly was concerned, it was another argument for the expanded use of instant replay in baseball.
The Los Angeles Dodgers manager wasn't convinced that Nyjer Morgan beat the tag to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 victory in the 10th inning on Wednesday night, even if he was called safe.
"I had the luxury of seeing the replay," Mattingly said. "We should still be playing."
Catcher A.J. Ellis was pretty sure he got Morgan, too.
"I'm almost positive I applied the tag but I haven't seen the replay," Ellis said.
With the bases loaded and one out, Milwaukee's Ryan Braun lofted a shallow fly ball to center field. Morgan took off for home despite a stop sign from Brewers third base coach Ed Sedar and was called safe on a close play — although replays showed that he may have been tagged out before reaching the plate.
"The throw was up the line and A.J. tagged him on the butt but he still wasn't to the plate yet," Mattingly said.
It didn't matter to Morgan, who was mobbed by his teammates.
Reliever Matt Guerrier (0-1) took the loss for the Dodgers, who have lost the first two games of the series.
Dodgers starter Chris Capuano went six innings, giving up two runs in six innings against his former team. Capuano had two separate stints with the Brewers, from 2004-07 and in 2010, and was an All-Star in 2006.
"I feel comfortable here," Capuano said. "It almost felt like a home game my last two starts here."
Kameron Loe (1-0) earned the win for Milwaukee.
Aramis Ramirez hit his first home run of the season for the Brewers, shaking off what has been a sluggish start to the season with his new team.
Guerrier walked Jonathan Lucroy to lead off the bottom of the 10th, and Lucroy was lifted for Morgan as a pinch runner. Cesar Izturis then popped out on a bunt attempt, but Morgan stole second with Rickie Weeks at the plate, then went to third on a bad throw by Ellis.
The Dodgers put Weeks on first with an intentional walk, bringing George Kottaras to the plate. The Dodgers made a defensive shift, with five infielders and two outfielders, and Weeks stole second. Guerrier then walked Kottaras to load the bases for Braun with one out.
The Brewers also won Tuesday night's series opener in thrilling fashion, on a two-run double in the ninth by Kottaras.
Zack Greinke gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Greinke came into Wednesday's game with a 12-0 record and 2.91 ERA in 16 starts as a Brewer at Miller Park. His 12-game home winning streak is the longest in franchise history.
Greinke was coming off a rough road outing against the Cubs last Thursday, where he gave up eight runs in only 3 2-3 innings and took the loss.
The Dodgers got to Greinke in the first inning when Mark Ellis smacked a one-out double and Matt Kemp followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
Milwaukee came back to tie it in the second. After Aramis Ramirez was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, Corey Hart doubled and Mat Gamel drove him in.
The Dodgers retook the lead in the fifth with a leadoff double by Jerry Hairston Jr., a single by Tony Gwynn Jr. and a grounder by Ellis for a forceout at second base that allowed the run to score for a 2-1 lead.
Milwaukee then had a chance for a big inning in the fifth when Greinke hit a one-out double and Capuano walked Weeks. But Carlos Gomez flew out and Braun hit a ground ball for an out at second to end the inning.
Ramirez then homered to lead off the sixth, hammering the first pitch he saw from Capuano deep to left center field to tie the game at 2. It was his 313th career homer as a third baseman, giving him sole possession of eighth place on the all-time list of homers at the position.
Notes: Brewers SS Alex Gonzalez returned to the lineup after missing three games for the birth of his son on Sunday. ... Andre Ethier lined into a double play in the fourth, when Carlos Gomez threw behind Kemp to double him up at first base. ... Milwaukee LHP Randy Wolf (0-1, 10.61) faces RHP Aaron Harang (0-1, 5.91) in the series finale Thursday afternoon.
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