Braun delivers walk-off grand slam

MILWAUKEE -- Slumping star Ryan Braun hit a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Brewers remained even with the Mets atop the National League Wild Card standings after a wild 5-1 win over the Pirates on Thursday at Miller Park.

Thanks to Braun's dramatic 36th home run -- his first career grand slam -- Milwaukee has won four straight games and finished the year 14-1 against last-place Pittsburgh. At 88-71, the Brewers and Mets are tied for the Wild Card with three games to play.

New York came back from a 6-3 deficit against the Cubs, scoring four runs over the final three innings for a 7-6 win at Shea Stadium.

That game was in the books when Rickie Weeks led off the bottom of the 10th inning against Pirates right-hander Jesse Chavez (0-1) with a single under the second baseman's glove. Weeks moved up on a bunt -- the Brewers' first runner in scoring position since the fourth inning - and an intentional walk to Ray Durham and an unintentional one to Craig Counsell loaded the bases with two outs for Braun, who was 0-for-4 in the game and had one home run in 91 at-bats this month.

He launched a 2-and-2 pitch into the left field seats and sent 40,102 fans on Fan Appreciation Night into a frenzy.

Lefty Brewers reliever Mitch Stetter (3-1) struck out Nate McLouth with a runner at second base in the top of the 10th inning to earn the the win.

Brewers right-hander Yoavni Gallardo made his first start since suffering a major right knee injury on May 1 and -- except for a solo home run he allowed to Pirates right fielder Steve Pearce -- delivered just what the Brewers were looking for. He worked around a pair of hits in the first inning with the first two of his seven strikeouts, and whiffed five consecutive batters in the second and third innings.

Bill Hall drove in a run with a double in the third inning.

(mlb.com)