Brewers into NLCS on Morgan's bat

MILWAUKEE — Nyjer Morgan did it again for Milwaukee, delivering an RBI single in the 10th inning to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 Friday in Game 5 and send the Brewers to the NL championship series.

Morgan hit a one-out grounder up the middle and Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz tried in vain to stop it with his leg. Carlos Gomez sailed across home plate as a wild throw home went high, and Morgan was mobbed by teammates near the mound after Milwaukee's first victory in a postseason series since the Brewers won the AL pennant in 1982.

Arizona did all it could to extend its surprising season. Center fielder Chris Young made an astounding catch in the sixth and the Diamondbacks had one last comeback left in the ninth.

Willie Bloomquist drove in the tying run with a safety squeeze, but the Diamondbacks were unable to forge ahead against closer John Axford.

Morgan was a critical addition for the Brewers this year and had several clutch hits, winning fans along the way with his oversized personality that includes a wildman alter-ego he calls "Tony Plush." But he wasn't having a particularly productive series until his big moment in Game 5.

Now the Brewers are moving on, though it wasn't easy.

With a 2-1 lead and their tough 1-2 bullpen combination of Francisco Rodriguez and Axford lined up for the eighth and ninth, the Brewers appeared to have their ticket punched to the NLCS.

But the Diamondbacks had the most comeback victories in the majors this season (48) and weren't about to go away easily.

They nearly got the best of Rodriguez in the eighth. He loaded the bases with two outs for Ryan Roberts, one of two Diamondbacks players to hit a grand slam in the series. But Rodriguez got Roberts to ground into a forceout at second base, ending the threat.