Brewers rally past Cards

~ ST. Louis had won five of its last six games before the 5-4 loss in Milwaukee.

MILWAUKEE -- Prince Fielder drove in the go-ahead run with his two-out, eighth inning infield single and the struggling Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Fielder, who'd been 4 of 24 this season against St. Louis, hit a slow grounder off reliever Dennys Reyes to shortstop Brendan Ryan with the bases loaded. Ryan's off-balance throw to first baseman Albert Pujols wasn't in time.

Rookie Mat Gamel hit a two-run homer in the fourth, reliever Todd Coffey (4-1) got the win with two scoreless innings and Trevor Hoffman picked up his 19th save in 20 chances after working around Pujols and out of a bases-loaded jam.

It was a much-needed victory for the Brewers, who moved back within a game of St. Louis in the NL Central despite losing five of the last seven and trailing 4-1 in the fourth.

Cardinals shortstop Brendan Ryan leaps over Brewers baserunner Craig Counsell at second to turn a double play during the first inning Wednesday in Milwaukee. The Brewers scored a run in the eighth inning to beat the Cardinals 5-4. (MORRY GASH ~ Associated Press)

In the eighth, Cardinals reliever Jason Motte (3-3) got the first two outs, but Craig Counsell doubled and Motte walked J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun, the ninth free pass given out by Cardinals pitchers.

Reyes replaced Motte, but the Brewers' All-Star first baseman came through with his 77th RBI this season.

The Cardinals missed two chances late.

In the eighth, Coffey stranded runners on first and second by striking out Ryan to end the inning, and Hoffman had to work out of a bases-loaded jam. He allowed a leadoff double to Skip Schumaker and intentionally walked Pujols with one out in the ninth.

After catcher Jason Kendall made a falling grab in foul territory on Ryan Ludwick's pop up for the second out, Hoffman walked Chris Duncan to load the bases, but Yadier Molina grounded out to end it.

Cardinals starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer tosses the rosin bag after walking in a run during the second inning.

While Gamel homered in the fourth, he struck out twice with the bases loaded, including with two outs in the seventh after Braun had tripled and reliever Kyle McClellan had walked Frank Catalanotto and Mike Cameron.

The teams combined for seven runs in the fourth, with St. Louis taking a 4-1 lead, but Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer gave it back in the bottom half.

Molina doubled in the first run off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan, who walked Joe Thurston. After Wellemeyer laid down a sacrifice bunt for the second out, Ryan drove in two runs, extending his career-long hitting streak to seven games. Schumaker drove home Ryan with a single.

Gamel answered to make it 4-3 after Wellemeyer's third leadoff walk in four innings, and Kendall, who walked with the bases loaded in the second for Milwaukee's first run, singled and advanced to third on an error.

Counsell drove in Kendall, but Wellemeyer, who allowed seven hits and four walks, ended his night by forcing Braun to ground into a double play.

Noteworthy

* Cardinals RHP Kyle Lohse (right forearm) threw six scoreless innings Tuesday night in a rehab start at Class AAA Memphis and is expected to start one of the games Sunday in a doubleheader with the Cubs.