MILWAUKEE (AP) — The barbs already were flying. Come Sunday, the Milwaukee Brewers bashed the St. Louis Cardinals with their bats.

Needing a rally in the NL championship series opener, Milwaukee turned to its power duo of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, then got a key hit from Yuniesky Betancourt to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6.

Braun launched a two-run, 463-foot homer in the first inning and added a two-run double during a six-run burst in the fifth. Fielder hit a two-run homer and the typically light-hitting Betancourt added a two-run homer to cap the big comeback.

At least for one game, the bitter rivals avoided any on-field confrontations in their first postseason matchup since the 1982 World Series.