Brewers reward Gross for scoring winning run with trade to Rays

MILWAUKEE -- Gabe Gross stole second and sped home with the game-winning run. He might as well keep running to Tampa Bay.

Gross scored on Gabe Kapler's single with one out in the 12th inning in the Brewers' 9-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. After the game, the team announced Gross had been traded to the Rays in a deal for minor league pitcher Josh Butler.

"Some day," Gross said. "It was definitely a little bit out-of-the-blue, but I'm just looking forward to going down there and joining the team now."

It was a fitting end to a downright wacky game that included another oddity: Slugger Albert Pujols playing second base for the first time in his big league career. Pujols made the move after shortstop Cesar Izturis was forced to leave the game after being hit by a pitch.

All of it unfolded as the Cardinals rallied from a five-run deficit off the Brewers' beleaguered bullpen before Kapler singled off St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen (1-1) to end the game.

Milwaukee gave up four runs in the seventh off three different relievers. It still led 8-7 when Eric Gagne made his fifth appearance in six days in the ninth.

He immediately got into trouble, hitting Izturis with a pitch on the right forearm and allowing a single to Skip Schumaker that put runners on the corners with no outs.

Gagne got Rick Ankiel to chase a pitch for strike three, and Pujols hit what appeared to be a a tailor-made double-play grounder to third baseman Bill Hall.

But second baseman Rickie Weeks couldn't turn it, allowing Izturis to tie the game at 8-8 and costing Gagne his second straight save opportunity.

Izturis left the game because he couldn't grip a ball. X-rays were negative.

So in the bottom of the ninth, the Cardinals sent Aaron Miles to short, Pujols to second from first, catcher Jason LaRue to first and Yadier Molina, the final position player on the bench, came in to catch.

Seth McClung (1-0) got the win by pitching a perfect 12th with two strikeouts.