Tomo Ohka came up to the plate with the score tied in the fourth inning and two on, just after Chad Moeller's bloop near the right-field line popped out of Xavier Nady's glove for a single.
Milwaukee's pitcher faked a bunt and pulled his bat back, then slapped the ball to right. It sailed over Nady's head for a run-scoring double, and the Brewers never looked back in an 8-2 victory Saturday that stopped the New York Mets' winning streak at seven.
"I tried to make a line drive to the first-base side. I was a little disappointed it was a fly ball," Ohka said. "I didn't care how far it went. The team needed a runner moved up. If the right fielder catches the fly ball, that doesn't happen." I was fortunate it was far enough he couldn't catch it."
Pitching against a team that began the day with an NL-high .310 batting average, Ohka (1-1) allowed two runs — one earned — and five hits in seven innings. He had been 0-5 in seven appearances at Shea Stadium coming in.
New York, which had trailed after the end of only two innings previously this season, was trying for the first 9-1 start in franchise history and for its first eight-game winning streak since taking nine in a row from April 16-25, 2000. But Steve Trachsel (1-1) struggled with his command, allowing four runs and nine hits in five innings, and all three Mets outfielders had trouble picking up balls that dropped for hits.
Carlos Lee hit his fifth homer and Geoff Jenkins his first, and Matt Wise finished the six-hitter for the Brewers, who had not scored five runs in a game since April 8.
"Even though we've been struggling, I think we have a decent lineup," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "I think we will score some runs. Maybe today is a start for us."
Moeller's two-out RBI single put Milwaukee ahead in the second, but throwing errors by second baseman Rickie Weeks and Ohka helped load the bases with one out in the bottom half. Ramon Castro followed with a sacrifice fly, and Trachsel grounded out.
"I felt good after that inning because just one run is fine. They could have scored many more," Ohka said.
CARDINALS 9, REDS 3: At St. Louis, Albert Pujols, Hector Luna and Scott Spiezio homered and Sidney Ponson won his home debut with the Cardinals. Luna tied his career high with three RBIs for the Cardinals.
NATIONALS 2, MARLINS 1: At Miami, John Patterson allowed three hits in eight innings and matched a career high with 13 strikeouts for the Nationals. Royce Clayton doubled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning for Washington.
BRAVES 2, PADRES 0: At Atlanta, John Smoltz gave Atlanta's starting staff its first win of the year with his 16th career shutout. Smoltz (1-1) allowed only four hits and two walks. He recorded his first shutout since June 21, 2005.
PIRATES 2, CUBS 1: At Pittsburgh, Pirates starter Zach Duke bounced back from the worst start of his short major league career to limit Chicago to a run over seven innings. Mike Gonzalez pitched a perfect ninth for his second save in two opportunities.
ASTROS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 0: At Phoenix, Adam Everett drove in three runs with a homer and a double, and Wandy Rodriguez allowed two hits through seven innings to lead Houston to its second shutout in three games.
DODGERS 3, GIANTS 1: At Los Angeles, Odalis Perez pitched seven strong innings and held Barry Bonds in check, Kenny Lofton hit an RBI triple for his first hit with Los Angeles, and the Dodgers beat San Francisco. Bonds went 1-for-3 and drew an intentional walk.
ROCKIES 10, PHILLIES 6: At Denver, Matt Holliday homered and drove in five runs to lift Colorado. Holliday's bases-loaded triple broke the game open in a five-run seventh inning.