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NEW YORK -- Norichika Aoki got some good news during batting practice and turned it into a great night all-around. Aoki hit a leadoff homer, Khris Davis connected three batters later and Yovani Gallardo pitched the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night. Before the game, Aoki found out from Japanese reporters that Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said the team will pick up the outfielders $1.5 million option for next season. "I didnt know about it until I heard today, and Im excited to be part of the Brewers again," Aoki said through a translator. "Im very thankful." Martin Maldonado also homered and Gallardo (12-10) went six innings to end his inconsistent season with a win. The right-hander, who won 33 games over the previous two years, finished 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA in eight starts since returning from a strained left hamstring. "Being on the DL for those two weeks just kind of lets you reset, kind of have a fresh start," Gallardo said. "And ever since then Ive been feeling good." The fourth-place Brewers are closing strong, too. They have won three straight and five of six, giving them nine victories in their last 10 road games against New York. "We count on Yo. Hes not a guy that I have a question mark about. So its really important for him to finish well and knowing next year, coming into the season, that were going to get the same guy that weve been used to for all these years. Somebody you can count on every time hes out there," manager Ron Roenicke said. "From when he came back off the DL, I dont have those questions anymore." Brandon Kintzler worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Jim Henderson pitched a perfect ninth for his 28th save in 32 tries. The punchless Mets played without All-Star third baseman David Wright, who sat out with a sore right thumb, and lost 4-2 to Milwaukee for the second consecutive game. Wright was sidelined one night after he was hit in the helmet by an 86 mph changeup. The Mets reiterated that Wrights head is fine -- he said he passed all the concussion tests -- but the medical staff recommended he rest his thumb for a day. The star slugger jammed his thumb when he hit the dirt after he was plunked by a pitch from Johnny Hellweg. All-Star centre fielder Carlos Gomez was back in the Brewers lineup after serving a one-game suspension for touching off a bench-clearing fracas Wednesday in Atlanta when he admired his homer and yelled at Braves starter Paul Maholm. Milwaukee third baseman Aramis Ramirez aggravated a left knee injury during the fray and has missed the last two games. Ramirez expected to take batting practice and could return this weekend, Roenicke said. Jean Segura sat out his ninth consecutive game because of a strained right hamstring, but Roenicke said the All-Star shortstop would probably be available off the bench and might start Saturday. Segura and Eric Young Jr. of the Mets are tied for the NL lead with 44 stolen bases. Aoki sent the fourth pitch from Carlos Torres (4-6) to right field for his second career leadoff homer. "He smoked it, too. That one really sounded good," Roenicke said. Scooter Gennett struck out but reached on a wild pitch. One out later, Davis drove a hanging breaking ball to left for his 11th home run. Davis grabbed at his left leg while trying to beat out an eighth-inning grounder. He came out with a tight left hamstring and strained right quadriceps. "I think hes OK. Were thinking more its, hes kind of dehydrated and didnt probably drink as much water as he should," Roenicke said. "Im hoping hell be OK tomorrow." Justin Turner knocked in a run with an infield single in the sixth to cut it to 3-2. New York had the bases loaded with one out, but Gallardo struck out Juan Lagares before Daniel Murphy tried to score from third on a pitch in the dirt. Maldonado blocked the ball in front of him and scrambled back in time to tag Murphy, who tried to hurdle the catcher at home plate. "Took a chance," Murphy said. "Its two outs, two strikes right there. Gallardos out pitch is a curveball and I was looking for a dirtball and I got one. I just didnt trust the first read and once I hesitated, I was out. Probably should have shut it down but I didnt." NOTES: Milwaukee C Jonathan Lucroy made his ninth start this season at first base. ... Brewers prospect Jimmy Nelson makes his first major league start Saturday against RHP Aaron Harang. ... Mets LHP Jonathon Niese (8-8) will start the season finale Sunday against RHP Marco Estrada (7-4). Tyler Lancaster Jersey . Pearce had a career-high four hits and drove in two runs, and Wei-Yin Chen shut down Texas again as the Orioles completed a four-game sweep of the Rangers with a 5-2 victory on Thursday night. James Lofton Jersey . -- Arizona coach Sean Miller rose from his seat every time Roberto Nelson touched the ball and yelled "Shooter!" He could have been talking about his own team, too. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/custo...large-882r.html. Mike Babcock has turned to the Montreal Canadiens goalie over Roberto Luongo, who backed Canada to a gold medal in Vancouver in 2010, for Canadas final preliminary round game against the ailing Finns. Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey . The Sochi organizing committee said in Fridays statement that the torch relay reached the North Pole on Oct. 19. Russian Polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, who led the mission, lit a special bowl at the North Pole sign. Henry Jordan Jersey .com) - Rajon Rondo turned in a game-high 21 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists as Dallas claimed a 102-98 win over the Lakers on Friday.DETROIT -- Omar Infante showed the Detroit Tigers what theyre missing. Infante hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and had an RBI single in a four-run fifth against former teammate Justin Verlander, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 11-8 Monday night. Infante became expendable in Detroit last November when the franchise traded first baseman Prince Fielder to Texas for second baseman Ian Kinsler. The next month, Infante signed a $30.25 million, four-year contract with the Royals, and their manager is glad he did. "I didnt really think much about Omar last year with the lineup that they had," Royals skipper Ned Yost acknowledged. "I would try to pitch around this guy and pitch around this guy to get to Omar, and Omar constantly just beat our brains in offensively. At about the midway point, I started realizing how really good he was." With 90-plus games left this season, the Tigers are finding out how vulnerable they are and how good Kansas City is in the tightly contested AL Central. The Royals have won a season-high eight straight to pull within a half-game of Detroit atop the division. Kansas City has won 11 of 13 since trailing the Tigers by 6 1/2 games at the start of the month. "We got on a nice little run here and weve made up some ground," Yost said. Detroit scored six runs in the ninth inning and pulled within three on J.D. Martinezs two-out grand slam off Donnie Joseph. Michael Mariot struck out Austin Jackson looking for the final out. Jason Vargas (7-2) gave up two runs on seven hits and two walks to win his third straight. Verlander (6-7) allowed seven earned runs in consecutive starts for the first time in his career, giving up a season-high 12 hits and striking out two over six innings. He got off to a good start, retiring the Royals in order on 10 pitches in the first inning, and pitched four scoreless innings before getting roughed up. The Royalls took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning when Billy Butler followed Infantes RBI single with a three-run double off Verlander.dddddddddddd "Our confidence level is as high as it can get," Butler said. "I dont think it is as much him as it is were going really good right now." Infante cleared the left-field fences with his third homer this year with two on to make it 7-2 in the sixth, leading fans to boo Verlander, who is in the second season of his seven-year, $180 million deal. "I dont blame the fans for booing," Verlander said. "They are frustrated with me, just like Im frustrated with myself. I would have probably booed myself tonight. Theyve cheered me a lot of times, and they will cheer me again." The jeers kept coming in the next inning when Kansas City scored four runs -- one earned -- on four hits and two errors off Evan Reed, who failed to retire any Royals as their lead grew to 11-2. The Royals finished with a season high in runs and hits (17) on a steamy night in the Motor City. Detroit hurt its chances of winning the opener of the four-game series early in the game. Both teams lost a player to cramps. Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter left the game in the fourth with a cramp in his right hamstring. "Its not a strain," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus insisted. Royals catcher Salvador Perez was replaced in the seventh because of cramps in both calves. "Hes fine," Yost said. "They made him drink a bunch of fluids and gave him an IV." NOTES: Kansas City RHP Yordano Ventura (4-5) will start against Detroit RHP Max Scherzer (8-2) on Tuesday night, when the Royals will have a chance to move into first place and push the Tigers to second in the division for the first time this season. ... Kansas Citys winning streak is the longest active streak in the majors and its best since winning nine in a row from July 22 to Aug. 1 last year. ' ' '