Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - Ryan Braun hit a two-out, three-run home run in the ninth off Astros closer Brad Lidge to give the Brewers the lead, as Milwaukee rallied late to beat Houston, 7-4, in the middle contest of a three- game set at Minute Maid Park.

After six shutout innings by Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez, Milwaukee, trailing 4-0, scratched out a run in the seventh on a double play groundout and then scored two more runs in the eighth off Astros reliever Chad Qualls.

Rickie Weeks greeted Qualls with a double and scored on Corey Hart's triple. Braun followed with an infield single that plated Hart and brought Milwaukee within 4-3.

After a Prince Fielder strike out, Craig Counsell hit a pinch-hit single and Kevin Mench followed with a base-hit to right. Braun was thrown out at home trying to score Mench's single, but it didn't matter as Milwaukee continued to pour on the offense with back-to-back singles by J.J. Hardy and Joe Dillon to start the ninth.

The Brewers almost squandered the opportunity as Hardy was thrown out at third on Weeks' bunt attempt and Hart struck out.

Braun, however, came through when he sent a 1-1 offering from Lidge (3-2) over the left field wall to hand Milwaukee a 6-4 lead. Fielder tacked on an insurance run when he followed bt connecting on his NL-best 36th home run.

Francisco Cordero tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his 36th save of the season for the Brewers, who have now won six straight against their division rival and 9 of 11 meetings in 2007.

The Brewers also maintained their slim lead over the Cubs for the lead in the NL Central.

Scott Linebrink (4-3) pitched a scoreless eighth to pick up the win, while Brewers starter Jeff Suppan gave up four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts.

Carlos Lee knocked in a pair of runs for the Astros, who have lost two in a row after a three-game winning streak. Rodriguez gave up just six hits and one run over seven innings, striking out four and walking three.

Houston struck in the second inning as Luke Scott led off the inning with a walk. Suppan managed to retire the next two Astros batters, but he then walked Rodriguez and Craig Biggio came through with a ground-rule double that gave Houston a 1-0 lead.

The Astros then put up a three-spot in the fifth inning to assume a 4-0 lead. Mark Loretta legged out a triple with one out and Suppan intentionally walked Lance Berkman. Lee made Suppan pay with a double that chased both runners home. Ty Wigginton followed with a single to put runners on the corners and Scott's groundout was enough to score Lee.

The Brewers finally got on the board in the seventh as Mench led off with a double and Johnny Estrada's single put runners on the corners. Milwaukee was only able to get one run across as Hardy grounded into a double play.

Game Notes

Lidge blew his fifth save of the season...Fielder and Hardy each finished with three hits for the Brewers...Attendance was 41,461.