Backup catcher Kottaras hits for cycle

George Kottaras became the first major league player to hit for the cycle this season and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Houston Astros 8-2 on Saturday night. Kottaras hit a solo homer in the fourth inning off Bud Norris (6-9) to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead and tripled in the sixth ahead of a two-run shot by Craig Counsell, his first of the year. Kottaras added an RBI single in the seventh and doubled to deep center field off David Carpenter in the ninth for the first cycle by a Brewers hitter since Jody Gerut on May 8, 2010. Colorado slugger Carlos Gonzalez was the last major leaguer to hit for the cycle, on July 31 last season against the Chicago Cubs.