NATIONAL LEAGUE Brewers' Sheets blankets Astros for win

He's beaten Houston seven straight times since 2001.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MILWAUKEE -- Ben Sheets was humbled by his pitching last season and on opening day this year.
He felt much better Saturday, after striking out a career-high 10 in six scoreless innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-1 victory over the Houston Astros.
Sheets (1-0) has beaten the Astros seven straight times since losing his first two decisions against them in 2001.
"I haven't been this excited for a long time, because I've struggled for as long as I ever have in my career," Sheets said. "Maybe it's partly because I've been embarrassed the way things are going. It was a great day today."
Compliments
Jeff Bagwell, who had five RBIs in Friday's 13-7 victory over the Brewers to spoil their home opener, was impressed after striking out twice and then doubling against Sheets.
"He was great today," Bagwell said. "It's the best I've ever seen him. He's pitched some good games against us. He had an overpowering fastball and curveball against us today."
Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said Sheets provided the performance he always expected would come.
"He had command of all his pitches today and that was evident," Yost said. "He threw a fantastic game. He really pitched great."
Sheets, who was 11-13 last year and 0-3 in spring training, lasted only 3 1-3 innings Monday in St. Louis. But he was locked in a scoreless duel with Tim Redding (0-1) until the fifth, when the Brewers rallied with two outs.
Geoff Jenkins was nicked by a pitch and Lyle Overbay singled before Wes Helms hit a three-run shot for his first home run of the season and a 3-0 lead.
"I was very fortunate to get out of there with only three runs," Redding said. "I didn't feel very good with the way I was throwing. You battle and you battle and you battle for four innings-plus and all of a sudden it's going to catch up to you. You make one bad pitch."
Sheets needed only five innings to equal his previous career high of nine strikeouts. He faced only 22 batters, four over the minimum. He allowed four hits, two by Brad Ausmus, and walked none before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth, when the Brewers made it 6-0 against Houston reliever Ricky Stone.
Stone gave up run-scoring singles to Craig Counsell, Keith Ginter and Overbay. The rally also included two intentional walks.
On the board
The Astros averted a shutout in the eighth when Ausmus tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Morgan Ensberg against reliever Jeff Bennett.
Redding, making his first start of season, kept the Brewers scoreless by getting out of trouble in the second through fourth innings, when the Brewers stranded seven runners.
Before being shut down by the Brewers, the Astros scored 32 runs in their first four games.
The 10 strikeouts by Sheets marked the first time the Brewers had someone in double digits since Aug. 31, 2001, when Jamey Wright struck out 12 against Houston.
"I don't remember the last time I was focused like that," Sheets said. "Maybe the Astros and Cubs bring out the best in me."
HOUSTONMILWAUKEE
abrhbiabrhbi
OPlmro cf4000Pdsdnk cf4100
JVzcno ss4000Cunsell ss4111
Bgwell 1b4020KGintr 2b5011
JKent 2b4000Jenkins lf3120
Brkmn lf4000Ovrbay 1b4121
Hidalgo rf3000Helms 3b4123
Lamb 3b3010Grieve rf2010
Asmus c3130BClark rf1000
Rdding p2000Moeller c3110
Stone p0000BShets p2000
Ensbrg ph0001Drngtn ph1000
Dckwrt p0000Bennett p1000
LVzcno p0000
Totals31161Totals346106
Houston000000010--1
Milwaukee00003300x--6
DP--Milwaukee 1. LOB--Houston 4, Milwaukee 10. 2B--Bagwell (2), Jenkins (2). 3B--Ausmus (1). HR--Helms (1). SF--Ensberg.
IPHRERBBSO
Houston
Redding L,0-1563335
Stone243321
Duckworth100001
Milwaukee
BSheets W,1-06400010
Bennett211100
LVizcaino110000
HBP--by Redding (Jenkins).
Umpires--Home, Ed Montague; First, Jerry Layne; Second, Jerry Meals; Third, Paul Schrieber. T--2:34. A--18,337.
Marlins 5, Phillies 3
MIAMI -- Hee Seop Choi homered twice, and Miguel Cabrera's two-run shot propelled the Marlins.
The victory capped a special day for the Marlins, who received their elaborate World Series rings before the game.
The ceremony delayed the game for more than 15 minutes and seemed to incite Philadelphia, which took an early 3-0 lead before the bullpen blew it for the second consecutive night. The loss was the Phillies' 12th in the last 14 games against Florida.
The Marlins started their comeback in the fourth when Choi homered to right with two outs. Alex Gonzalez doubled to start the fifth and scored on Juan Pierre's single.
Phillies starter Brett Myers allowed another hit and two walks, prompting bench coach Gary Varsho to go to the bullpen earlier than he wanted. Varsho was filling in for Larry Bowa, who served a one-game suspension for spring training beanballs.
Choi evened the game with a leadoff homer in the sixth. The left-handed hitter was supposed to struggle at spacious Pro Player Stadium. Instead, he has three homers and six of the team's first 16 RBIs.
Luis Castillo singled off Rheal Cormier in the seventh, forcing another pitching change, and Cabrera drove Roberto Hernandez's first pitch into the left-field seats.
PHILAFLORIDA
abrhbiabrhbi
Rollins ss4010Pierre cf3011
Planco 2b5020LCstillo 2b4130
Thome 1b4010Cbrera rf3112
Burrell lf3110Lowell 3b3010
BAbreu rf4010Conine lf4000
Lbrthal c3000Choi 1b4222
DaBell 3b4111Rdmnd c3010
Madson p0000AGnzlz ss4110
Glnville cf3011Oliver p3010
Ledee ph1000CFox p0000
BMyers p2110LHarrs ph1000
Tlmaco p0000Benitez p0000
Byrd ph1000
Crmier p0000
RHrndz p0000
ToPerz 3b1000
Totals35392Totals325115
Philadelphia001200000--3
Florida00011120x--5
E--LCastillo (1). DP--Philadelphia 1, Florida 1. LOB--Philadelphia 8, Florida 7. 2B--Thome (3), DaBell (2), AGonzalez (1). HR--Cabrera (2), Choi 2 (3). SB--Lowell (1). CS--Pierre (1). S--Pierre.
IPHRERBBSO
Philadelphia
BMyers4 2-362233
Telemaco1 1-321100
Cormier L,1-2 1-311100
RHernandez2-321102
Madson100001
Florida
Oliver W,1-0783222
CFox100012
Benitez S,4110001
Umpires--Home, Chuck Meriwether; First, C.B. Bucknor; Second, Eric Cooper; Third, Mike Reilly. T--2:43. A--45,725.