MILWAUKEE _ The Milwaukee Brewers got three hits from J.J. Hardy and a sharp outing from Dave Bush to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 and stave off elimination in the Major League Baseball playoffs on Saturday.
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Milwaukee Brewers J.J. Hardy hits an RBI single in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during Game 3 of their MLB National League Divisional Series playoff baseball game in Milwaukee October 4, 2008. [Agencies]
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Back home at Miller Park, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun each had a sacrifice fly for Milwaukee, making its first trip to the postseason since 1982. Hardy and Jason Kendall added RBI singles.
After pitchers CC Sabathia and Yovani Gallardo flopped in Philadelphia, Bush allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings to help send the best-of-five National League Division Series to a fourth game on Sunday.
Three relievers stymied the Phillies before Salomon Torres worked a rocky ninth inning for the save. Philadelphia loaded the bases with no outs and Pedro Feliz hit a double-play grounder to shortstop that appeared to drive in Ryan Howard.
But Shane Victorino, who hit a grand slam off Sabathia in Game 2, was called for interference when he didn't slide into second. The runners were sent back to second and third, and Carlos Ruiz tapped back to Torres to end the game.
The Brewers managed just three runs and seven hits as the Phillies won the first two games convincingly. But Milwaukee showed some patience at the plate in Game 3 that was noticeably lacking in Philadelphia.
Mike Cameron and Bill Hall, two free-swinging Brewers, walked with no outs in the first against Jamie Moyer, known for his control. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Fielder hit a sacrifice fly to right with one out.