ESPN

The Brewers needed a lineup mainstay and a relative newcomer to help them stay even with the Mets in the National League wild card hunt on Thursday.

Ryan Braun had just one hit, but it left the park.

Homer No. 36 was a walk-off grand slam that was just his second homer this month as he tries to play through a lingering rib injury. Though he hasn't helped his fantasy owners much down the stretch, batting .207 in September, his first career granny was certainly welcome in this final week. Though Braun's average is going to be down 30 points from last season (.324 to .286), his other numbers are right in line with his rookie season, even if it took him an extra 150 at-bats to accomplish it.

As for the "relative" newcomer, it's not like we haven't seen Yovani Gallardo before. However, he made his first appearance since May 1, when he tore his ACL in a collision at first base (he even pitched one more inning and allowed two runs before being pulled.) With manager Dale Sveum lacking options, he sent Gallardo to the mound to start on Thursday even though his pitch count was going to be limited, and the 22-year-old came up big.

He only lasted four innings before tiring, but he gave up just one run and struck out seven, flashing the tantalizing stuff that will make him a solid No. 2 starter in the big leagues. It was enough to hold the fort for a while in a tight game that was tied at one heading into extra frames before Braun ended it.

Gallardo had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee just before spring training and then hurt the right one, but if they don't cause any further problems next season, Gallardo should rank comfortably in the top 50 among starting pitchers, with a lot of upside.

As for other Brewers' hurlers, Ben Sheets' start on Saturday is still "up in the air" after a bullpen session of only 20 pitches on Thursday, never really letting one go. The session was kept short on purpose to allow his sore elbow to rest. CC Sabathia comes back on three days' rest again on Sunday, with fantasy titles on the line.

Past editions: 9/25: Just Joshing | 9/24: Zack attack | 9/23: Price is right

Alex Cora left Thursday's game after being hit by a pitch in the sixth. He has a sore hip and is day-to-day. ... Kevin Slowey departed in the fourth after being hit on his pitching wrist on a line drive back to the mound. Preliminary X-rays indicated nothing serious, but what was serious were the six runs (four earned) that he had allowed in the inning before getting knocked out of the game. ... Nyjer Morgan's season is likely done after he exited in the first with a right hamstring injury. Those looking for help from him over the weekend need to look elsewhere if you have daily transactions. ... Ben Zobrist went yard twice for the Rays, but still looks no better than a utility player next year. ... Mark Reynolds set the single-season strikeout record with 201 as the D-backs were eliminated from playoff contention, although Ryan Howard (196) can still catch him this season. Reynolds also leads the big leagues in errors, which means he could become the first since Zoilo Versailles in 1965 to do so. Thankfully, he's at least hit 28 homers and driven in 96 for his fantasy owners. ... Albert Pujols went 3-for-3 with his 35th homer to push his average to .353. Guess that elbow injury didn't turn out to be too much of a problem for his offense this season. ... Jon Lester flirted with a no-hitter for five innings, before giving up a run on two hits in the sixth and then exiting early to keep him fresh for October. With his velocity all the way back after his cancer scare, Lester could be a top-20 starter next season. ... Those thinking that Kevin Youkilis' power output would slow down after the break were wrong, as he hit his 13th homer of the second half, compared to 15 in the first half. He's also done it in 100 fewer at-bats. ... Roy Halladay won his 20th game with what else -- a complete game. He allowed two runs and struck out five. The most interesting thing about his year was a strikeout rate (7.6) that was by far his best since 2001. ... Micah Hoffpauir went 5-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs, but the 28-year-old is not going to be a big-league regular in the future. ... Pedro Martinez gave up four or more runs for the fourth straight start and sixth time in his last seven outings, but at least he struck out nine. ... Johnny Cueto limped to the finish in allowing five runs in two innings, finishing with a 4.81 ERA. It was a learning season in many respects, and we could see some substantial improvement next season if he can become more consistent and learn to control his emotions on the mound. ... Carlos Gomez had four hits, two doubles, and two RBIs to help give the Twins the division lead. He's quietly hit .329 this month. ... Vladimir Guerrero got ready for the playoffs by knocking two out of the park, giving him 27 on the year. He's looked like vintage Vladdy in the second half, hitting .332 and slugging .587. ... Jake Peavy didn't do his owners any favors in his last start, with a middling outing against the Dodgers. He allowed three runs over five, striking out three. At least he picked up the win. ... Jorge De La Rosa has quietly been a money pitcher over the past two months for the Rockies. He threw shutout ball against the Giants for seven innings on Thursday, and the southpaw has quietly posted a 2.45 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, five wins, and almost a strikeout per inning since the calendar turned to August. He's teased us with these kinds of stretches before, so don't put him on your radar screen for 2009 just yet.