NL makes big return to Milwaukee

Brewers 6 Expos 4 MILWAUKEE On the day National League baseballreturned to Milwaukee for the first time in 33 years, the Brewers wonwith some American League-style ball.

Jeromy Burnitz and Jose Valentin homered off losing pitcherDustin Hermanson (0-1) in the fifth inning, and the Brewers won theirsixth consecutive game Tuesday by defeating the winless MontrealExpos 6-4 before a crowd of 51,408 at County Stadium.

The Brewers already have hit 11 home runs, including four eachby Burnitz and Valentin. Their average of 1.57 home runs per game istwice what it was last season."When the pitchers have made a mistake, we've punished theball," Brewers manager Phil Garner said. "They've got the ball upthree or four times on Valentin, and he hammered it. And the samething with Jeromy."The Expos fell to 0-7, extending the worst start in theirhistory.Home-run king Hank Aaron threw out the first ball, a one-hopperto the plate. It was the first National League game in Milwaukeesince Sept. 22, 1965, when the Braves lost to the Los Angeles Dodgersin 11 innings. They moved to Atlanta the next season.The Brewers, who moved from Seattle to Milwaukee before the 1970season, started the season with a 5-1 road trip. The crowd Tuesdaywas the biggest for a County Stadium opener in four seasons.Expos manager Felipe Alou, who played with Aaron in Milwaukee,said he was excited to see the packed house."We left in '66 because no one came," Alou said. "So it wasencouraging to see so many people."Winning pitcher Scott Karl (1-0) gave up two earned runs andseven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He left with a 5-2 lead in the seventhafter hearing two unusual pops in his throwing shoulder. The Brewerswill examine him today.After the Expos pulled to 5-4, Chad Fox, Bob Wickman and DougJones shut them down the rest of the way, with Jones pitching theninth for his third save.