The San Francisco Giants stumbled again in the NL wild-card race with a 9-4 loss Thursday night to the Milwaukee Brewers, who got three RBIs from David Bell.
Moises Alou homered twice for the Giants, who lost for the fifth time in six games. San Francisco, which has 10 games remaining, began the night four games back in the NL West and 3{ behind in the wild-card race.
Dave Bush (12-11) hit a two-run single and pitched 7 1-3 solid innings for the Brewers. The former Blue Jay is now 5-0 with a 3.26 ERA in his last five starts at Miller Park and the Brewers, who had been averaging 3.28 runs in their previous 25 games, posted their best offensive effort since scoring 12 on Aug. 24, the day before they began a 10-game losing skid.
Giants starter Matt Morris (10-15) came unravelled in the fifth.
Already trailing 4-2, Morris and reliever Jamey Wright combined to walk six and give up two hits, including Bush's single, as Milwaukee sent 11 men to the plate.
Morris walked Geoff Jenkins and Drew Anderson after recording the first out, and Jenkins scored on an error by Steve Finley, who let Bell's single skip by him in centre field.
Morris intentionally walked Mike Rivera to load the bases and Bush hit a chopper over third baseman Pedro Feliz to score two, ending Morris' night.
Wright then walked the first three batters he faced to give the Brewers a 9-2 lead before settling down and striking out the inning's final two batters.
Morris was charged with nine runs, nine hits, three walks and two hit batters in 4 1-3 innings. The former 22-game winner is now 1-2 with an 8.54 ERA in his last five starts.
Bush, who eclipsed 200 innings pitched for the first time in his third season, retired the first 11 batters before allowing a solo homer to Shea Hillenbrand in the fourth.
Alou hit a solo homer in the fifth and a two-run shot in the seventh to make it 9-4. It was Alou's first multihomer game this season and 28th of his career.
Bush struck out five and walked one before he was removed in the eighth for Jose Capellan.
Bell hit a two-run homer in the second and added an RBI single in the third. Tony Graffanino opened scoring with an RBI single in the first.
Notes: Giants slugger Barry Bonds went 1-for-3 before leaving the game for a pinch runner after his single in the seventh. ... Giants C Eliezer Alfonzo (concussion) has been medically cleared to return after being struck by a foul ball Tuesday night. Manager Felipe Alou said he may return to the lineup Friday. ... Graffanino has reached base safely 44 of his 52 games with the Brewers. ... Anderson had his first major league hit in the second inning of his first major league start.
