Brewers-Cubs: Cameron Boosts Brewers To Win Over Division-Leading Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers offense felt centerfielder Mike Cameron's presence in his long-awaited debut, Tuesday night. And so did the Chicago Cubs.

In his first game in return from a 25-game stimulant suspension, Cameron powered the Milwaukee Brewers to a 10-7 win over their biggest rival. Cameron, 3-5 with a double and two runs batted in, sparked a Brewers offense that had been anemic over the last week, scoring under four runs a game.

Corey Hart finished the night a home run away from the cycle, contributing a triple for the Brewers in a three-run third inning as well scoring after a two-out double in the 5th. He failed to hit the home run in his final two at bats in the seventh and ninth innings.

Ben Sheets (4-0) was able to stay undefeated and secure his fourth win of the season, despite setting a career high with seven walks and allowing four runs (three earned). It was just enough to outperform his counterpart, Jason Marquis (1-1), who, despite allowing only one walk, allowed 10 hits in his five innings.

The story of the game for the Chicago Cubs offense was missed opportunities. Cubs hitters stranded 12 men, including two in the ninth inning against Brewer closer Eric Gagne (S, 8).

The Cubs managed to manufacture two runs in the second inning against Sheets to go up 2-1 early. Derrek Lee's solo home run (8) off Sheets in the third inning tied a Cubs franchise record for home runs in the month of April. Later in the inning, after errors by Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and third baseman Bill Hall, Cubs centerfielder Felix Pie hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4.

Chicago had baserunners in each inning from the fifth inning on, but only managed to score in the seventh inning, after the Brewers had broken open a tie game with five runs combined in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to make it 9-4.

GAME NOTES

• Eric Gagne, despite blowing 4 saves, is tied for the National League lead in saves with 8.
• The last Brewer to hit for the cycle was Chad Moeller, who achieved it in on April 27, 2004 against the Cincinatti Reds
• Of the 12 Cubs runners left on base, six of them were left in scoring position.
• The Brewers victory placed them one game back of both Chicago and St. Louis in the NL Central.