Brewers Defeat Cardinals 9-6, Take Early Lead in NLCS

Needing a comeback in the NL championship series opener, Milwaukee turned to its power duo of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, as well as shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to beat the Cardinals 9-6.

The Brewers celebrated wildly, as the big hits came during a rapid-fire rally.

Braun launched a two-run, 463-foot homer in the first inning and added a two-run double during a six-run burst in the fifth. Fielder hit a two-run homer and the typically light-hitting Betancourt added a two-run homer to cap it.

At least for one game, the bitter NL Central rivals avoided any on-field confrontations in their first postseason matchup since the 1982 World Series. That's despite an already tense atmosphere that gained some steam when Brewers starter Zack Greinke let it slip on Saturday that some of his teammates don't like the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter.

Greinke hinted that he heard a few comments from the Cardinals' dugout Sunday, but he said it was nothing out of the ordinary. The atmosphere was tense even before the first pitch, as La Russa was showered with boos during pregame introductions. He calmly tipped his cap to the crowd.

Game 2 is at Miller Park on Monday night, first pitch at approximately 8:05 p.m. EST. Shaun Marcum starts for the Brewers against Edwin Jackson, and you can hear all the action right here on "The Team."