Brewers conjure up some D-backs magic

MILWAUKEE The game ended the way so many Diamondbacks games ended this season, with an on-field celebration after a stirring finish. For one of the few times this season, the other team pulled it off. It really sucks that the ride has to stop today, D-backs closer J.J. Putz said. Milwaukee ended the D-backs comeback season with a late rally of their own in a 3-2, 10-inning victory in Game 5 of the National League Division Series before a thunderous crowd of 44,028 at Miller Park. It was not easy. Not after the D-backs tied the game in the ninth inning with another in a series of not-dead-yets that defined their season. Milwaukee closer John Axford had converted 44 consecutive save opportunities and had not blown a save since April 18 before the D-backs tied the game in the ninth with their usual anybody, any time m.o. Gerardo Parra, Sean Burroughs and Willie Bloomquist had hits to tie the game, with Bloomquists bunt single driving in Parra, who had been 0 for 17 in the series until opening the inning with a double. But Axford closed the door with runners on first and second with no outs, and the Brewers broke through in the 10th against Putz, who had a career-high 45 saves. After speed-guy Carlos Gomez singled and stole second, Nyjer Morgan punched a ground ball up the middle to score the winning run. The worst way we could have lost the game is that way," reliever David Hernandez said. "J.Js been the guy. Weve sent him out in the ninth inning, and we know the game is over. Its just unfortunate. Putz had not given up an earned run in his last 20 appearances, and had given up only two since the All-Star break. Its never easy when you have to consistently slide step and two-look and three-look guys back to the base and make sure he stops," Putz said. "Our main goal is to concentrate on the hitter.Nyjer is a good hitter. He doesnt try to do too much, and he put a good swing on it. I missed my location probably by about a whole plate. It was just a bad pitch. I was trying to throw him a fastball in, and it kind of leaked back out over the plate. Thats pretty much where he likes the ball.The Brewers, who fought hard to get home-field advantage after clinching the NL Central, won all three games played at Miller Park, where they have the best home-field record in the majors. The pitching matchup between Yovani Gallardo and Ian Kennedy went as expected, with both making quality starts in their rematch of Game 1. Gallardo gave up one run, Kennedy two. It was a good, classic baseball game," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "It was real clean, well-pitched. Unfortunately, we lost.The D-backs scored first when Justin Upton lined a home run over the fence in right with two outs in the third inning against Gallardo, but the Brewers tied it on Jerry Hairston Jr.s sacrifice fly to second baseman Aaron Hill down the right field line in the fourth inning. The Brewers went ahead when Yuniesky Betancourt singled with two outs in the sixth after a spectacular catch by Chris Young, who tracked down Hairstons fly ball to dead center with an over-the-head catch for the second out with runners on first and second. The D-backs had chances throughout. They left runners on first and third with two outs in the sixth, the bases loaded in the eighth and those two after scoring in the ninth. Im hanging my head a little bit right now. Just disappointed. Not ready to go home yet, Young said. Im not hanging my head because I think we could have done anything different. Just hanging my head because I want to keep playing. You dont want the season to be over with. Im proud of all the guys. Everybody truly came with it. All the emotions were out there. All the players stepped their game up a little it. The Brewers played a great game. They happened to score the run before we did. Follow Jack Magruder on Twitter