Oh, Nomo!: Hideo Hurls Padres

May 31, 1999 / 6:52 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Hideo Nomo didn't have his best outing since joining the Milwaukee Brewers. But manager Phil Garner had no complaints about the results.

Nomo allowed three hits in 6 1-3 innings for his fifth straight strong start to lead Milwaukee to an 8-2 victory over San Diego on Monday.

"Going by the past five performances, this is not his best one," Garner said. "He didn't have as good of stuff as he had in his previous four.

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"He did what you want to see a pitcher do, and that's when you don't have your best stuff, you make an adjustment out there and somehow you get by."

Nomo (2-1), released by the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs earlier this season, has a 2.41 ERA in five starts since being signed by the Brewers.

"I wouldn't say he's exceeded my expectations because I didn't know what to expect," Garner said. "Let's just say we're very pleased with what he's done for us right now."

After giving up two runs in a 39-pitch first inning, Nomo settled down. He allowed a leadoff single to Ruben Rivera in the second and then retired the next 15 batters.

"I feel that I really didn't change my pitching form at all so I can't say that I regained my old form," Nomo said through a translator. "I feel that I have been pitching the same way since I came to the United States."

Ron Belliard homered and scored twice and Mark Loretta drove in three runs for the Brewers, who won consecutive home games for the first time this season.

Woody Williams (2-3) pitched seven innings and gave up 11 hits as San Diego lost for the seventh time in the last nine games.

"He struggled for four innings," said San Diego manager Bruce Bochy. "He settled down and gave us solid innings."

Milwaukee scored one run in each of the first four innings to overcome a 2-0 deficit.

Ron Belliard walked and scored on Burnitz's RBI groundout in the first to make it 2-1. Milwaukee tied it in the second when Sean Berry doubled and scored on Geoff Jenkins' double.

Belliard led off the third inning with a homer to left field, his second othe season, to give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead.

In the fourth, Jenkins led off with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Loretta.

The Brewers added four runs in the eighth. After Dan Miceli walked the three batters he faced, Carlos Reyes relieved and allowed a two-run single to Loretta. Jeff Cirillo, who was 3-for-4, then added a sacrifice fly and Jeromy Burnitz hit an RBI single.

San Diego scored twice in its first at bat. John Vander Wal had an RBI grounder and Greg Myers had an RBI single. Myers had three of the Padres' five hits.

"Today I lacked control," Nomo said. "My control wasn't good the first inning."

Notes: There was a 28-minute rain delay in the top of the fourth inning. ... In the first two innings, San Diego stole four bases. ... San Diego recorded its first back-to-back losing months since August and September of 1997. ... Belliard has reached base safely in his last 11 games. ... The Padres made their last regular season visit to County Stadium. Milwaukee will move into Miller Park next season. ... Milwaukee homered for a season-high seventh game in a row.