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MILWAUKEE -- Zack Greinke gave the Brewers exactly the performance they needed after a sour stretch. Greinke struck out 10 over seven effective innings and the Brewers got back to their winning ways at home with a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night to reclaim first place in the NL Central. "This is the game we needed from him. We talked about it, we needed Zack to have a big game, and he did," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I think any time you put a challenge to Zack, youre going to see a guy that wants the challenge." Greinke (7-2) provided his best performance so far with the Brewers after Milwaukee had lost six of its last eight. "Its up there," Greinke said. "The last six or seven outings felt good just about every time." Milwaukee is now a 1/2-game ahead of the Cardinals, who will be without Albert Pujols for the next four-to-six weeks, but Greinke doesnt believe thatll mean much in the standings. "Alberts probably the best player in baseball, but if any team could get over that, its probably them," Greinke said. Yuniesky Betancourt homered in the second off rookie Jeremy Hellickson (7-6) and Ryan Braun hit a two-run single in the seventh that helped snap Tampa Bays four-game winning streak. "We have to do better. We walked way too many guys," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. The Brewers are 26-10 at Miller Park and rebounded from Mondays loss in the opener. They are the only major league team not to lose consecutive games at home this season. The Brewers blew the game open in the seventh by getting to the Rays bullpen. After Jonathan Lucroy singled and pinch-hitter Craig Counsell walked, reliever Adam Russell got Rickie Weeks to fly out before departing for J.P. Howell. But Howell walked pinch-hitter Josh Wilson and Braun followed with his two-run single that extended his hitting streak to 13 games, matching a career high. Braun has been dealing with a respiratory infection, and said he still felt ill before the game. "Braunies hit, that changed the ballgame," Roenicke said. "Hes feeling a lot better than he did yesterday, but hes still not feeling real good. I think the energy level was OK during the game, he was talking and there was some conversations, which when hes feeling really bad, hes not going to have those." Prince Fielder followed with a run-scoring hit for his 63rd RBI to make it 5-1. That was plenty for Greinke, who has been dominant at Miller Park. Hes 5-0 with a 4.26 earned-run average and has 52 strikeouts to just two walks at home this season since being part of a six-player trade with Kansas City in December. The 2009 AL Cy Young winner had come off a disappointing outing by allowing eight runs in a loss to the Cubs in Chicago on Thursday, but struck out at least a batter in every inning, including the side in the third. "When hes got it going like that, hes a tough guy to face," B.J. Upton said. The Rays managed two hits off Greinke until the seventh when Upton doubled with one out and John Jaso followed with a single to cut Milwaukees lead to 2-1. But Greinke got Reid Brignac to swing on a pitch that bounced in the dirt for his 10th strikeout and forced pinch hitter Sam Fuld to line out to end the inning. "This is a really good game for him," Roenicke said. "His stuff I thought was crisper, fastball was definitely better, just had more life on it in the zone." Hellickson allowed only three hits in six innings, but received little support for the third straight outing and couldnt overcome his wild start. The right-hander walked the bases loaded with one out in the first before Casey McGehee hit a sacrifice fly. Hellickson then struck out Corey Hart to end the threat, but Betancourt took the second fastball he saw in the second inning over the left-centre field wall to make it 2-0. Notes: Greinke has reached at least 10 strikeouts in a game 12 times in his career. ... Greinke is the 10th pitcher this season to strike out at least 10 batters without a walk. ... Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey returned to the team Tuesday. He missed Mondays game because his house sustained significant fire damage in Florida. ... The Brewers said after the game RHP Shaun Marcum (hip) will make his scheduled start on Wednesday, but will limit his innings. Mike Singletary Throwback Jersey . The No. 41-ranked Canadian will take on No. 42 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia when the main singles draw gets underway Monday at Torontos Rexall Centre. Reebok Jim Kelly Jersey .ca Producer Shane McNeil offers up three reasons why hockey fans should pay close attention to this years tournament. http://www.mitchell-and-ness.com/Chicago-Bears_Dan-Hampton-Throwback-Jersey/ . Louis Blues tonight at Scottrade Center. Watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Phoenix wrapped up a postseason berth for a third straight year on Thursday despite being idle. Jim Brown Jersey . Gays Raptors have won five in a row after Mondays victory in Washington against the Wizards. His old team is streaking as well. The Grizzlies have taken four in a row after their win in Detroit. Troy Aikman Jersey . Damian Lillard had 35 points and nine assists and Portland routed San Antonio 136-106 on Friday night to set a record for the most points by an opponent at the AT&T Center and hand the Spurs their second-worst home loss ever.PEORIA, Ariz. -- Felix Hernandez and Seattle reached agreement Tuesday on a contract that is expected to make the Mariners ace the highest-paid pitcher in baseball. "I think its a great thing for the Seattle Mariners," Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "Its a great thing for Felix Hernandez, and looking forward to this guy being here for a very long time, obviously." Hernandezs deal is expected to be for $175 million over seven years. Terms of the contract were not released by the team. Hernandez and Zduriencik will hold a news conference in Seattle on Wednesday afternoon where Hernandez is expected to sign the contract. Earlier Tuesday, Zduriencik said the sides were having significant talks to try to finalize a new contract for the three-time All-Star and 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner. Zduriencik said then that a deal of that magnitude in years and dollars, "takes time to work things out." It didnt take too long. By the afternoon, Hernandezs deal was done and Seattle had its ace locked up through the 2019 season. The new contract will encompass the final two years of his current deal that is scheduled to pay Hernandez $40.5 million in 2013 and 2014. Hell receive $134.5 million over the additional five years. Hernandezs total dollars would top CC Sabathias original $161 million, seven-year contract with the New York Yankees and his $25 million average woulld surpass Zack Greinkes $24.dddddddddddd5 million under his new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and tie him for the second-highest in baseball with Josh Hamilton and Ryan Howard behind Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million). Hernandezs new money would average $26.9 million over five years. With Hernandez off the market, Detroits Justin Verlander and the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw become the most attractive pitchers eligible for free agency after the 2014 season. Tampa Bays David Price is eligible after the 2015 season. Hernandez, who will turn 27 on April 8, is 98-76 with a 3.22 ERA in eight seasons with the Mariners. He won a career-high 19 games in 2009 when he finished second in the Cy Young voting then won the award a year later when he went just 13-12 but had a 2.27 ERA and 232 strikeouts. Hernandez appeared to be making another Cy Young push last year before going 0-4 in his last six starts, which left him at 13-9 with 223 strikeouts. His career record would be even better if he didnt play with one of baseballs worst offences. Seattle had the lowest batting average in the major leagues in each of the last three seasons. Hernandez has taken 10 losses during that span when hes given up two earned runs or less. For his career, Hernandez has allowed two earned runs or less in 141 of 238 starts, but the team is only 99-42 in those games due to the offensive problems. ' ' '
