Lohse pitches 7 solid innings, Gomez has 4 hits, 2 RBIs in Brewers' 3-1 win over Padres

MILWAUKEE — In what has been a tough week, Kyle Lohse finally gave the Milwaukee Brewers a reason to smile.

Lohse gave up five hits in seven strong innings to lead the Brewers to a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night. It was the Brewers' first win since left fielder Ryan Braun was suspended Monday for the remainder of the 2013 season for violations of Major League Baseball's drug policy.

"We really needed a little bit of good news after this week," Lohse said. "We have to focus on the job we have to do. This season has not turned out the way I or anyone on this team thought it would. But we have to focus on the next two months and go out and win as many games as we can."

Lohse has been doing his part lately. He is 6-1 over his last 11 starts with a 2.51 ERA. The Brewers were 2-8 in Lohse's first 10 starts and 8-3 in his last 11 starts.

Lohse said he is feeling good on the mound and results have shown it.

"I am just focusing on what I am doing well," he said.

The other key Wednesday was all-star center fielder Carlos Gomez, who had four hits and drove in two runs.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said it looks as if Gomez is breaking out of a recent slump in which he had one hit in his last 10 at-bats.

"It looked like he was really on pitches tonight," Roenicke said. "When he is on his game like that, it is a big boost for the team."

John Axford pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Jim Henderson pitched the ninth to record his 11th save in 14 opportunities.

Sean O'Sullivan (0-2), making just his second start and third appearance of the season for the Padres, pitched 6 1-3 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. He started in place of Jason Marquis, who is scheduled for Tommy John surgery.

San Diego manager Bud Black said Lohse was just too tough on the Padres.

"He did a good job on both sides of the plate," Black said. "He's been pitching well. The last number of starts for him have been outstanding, and he just continued that tonight. We couldn't capitalize on any mistakes he left out over the plate. We battled him. We just couldn't break through."

Nick Hundley hit Lohse's first pitch of the third inning for his eighth home run of the season to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. It was his third home run in his last six games. Hundley hit a two-run home run in Tuesday's game.

The Brewers came back to grab a 2-1 lead in the third inning. Rickie Weeks and Norichika Aoki led off with singles and Jonathan Lucroy walked. With one out, Gomez lined a double over the head of Padres center fielder Will Venable to score Weeks and Aoki.

The Brewers added a run in the seventh inning. Aoki was hit by a pitch and stole second base. He advanced to third on Gomez's single. Gomez tried to steal second and Padres Pitcher Dale Thayer first threw to third base.

Chase Headley then threw to second to get Gomez, but the throw hit umpire Bob Davidson in the back and rolled into center field. Aoki scored on what was ruled an error on Headley.

Black said the Padres executed the play the way he wanted them to, except for the umpire getting hit with the throw.

"Everybody did everything right," he said. "Unfortunately for us, Bob was in the way of a thrown ball. Would have been a close play, no doubt, but I would've liked to see how it would've ended up. Bob told me, obviously, that was the last thing he wanted to happen. He just didn't get out of the way of the ball."

NOTES: Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said he would use both Axford and Henderson to close games following the trade Tuesday of Francisco Rodriguez to the Baltimore Orioles. ... Brewers RHP Donovan Hand should be able to make his next start Sunday against Colorado. Hand was hit on his pitching hand as he attempted to bunt Tuesday against Padres RHP Tyson Ross. ... After missing Tuesday's game with a sore right wrist, Padres left fielder Carlos Quentin was back in the starting lineup Wednesday. ... RHP Edinson Volquez (7-8, 5.73 ERA) will start the final game of the series for the Padres Thursday against the Brewers' RHP Yovani Gallardo (8-8, 4.58).