Brandon Phillips reacts after hitting a 450-foot grand slam that landed in Bernie Brewer's slide in deep left field and Travis Wood earned his first win in the majors for the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2 over Milwaukee on Wednesday.

MILWAUKEE — Brandon Phillips hit a 450-foot grand slam that landed in Bernie [...]]]> Associated Press

Brandon Phillips reacts after hitting a 450-foot grand slam that landed in Bernie Brewer's slide in deep left field and Travis Wood earned his first win in the majors for the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2 over Milwaukee on Wednesday.

MILWAUKEE — Brandon Phillips hit a 450-foot grand slam that landed in Bernie Brewer’s slide in deep left field and Travis Wood earned his first win in the majors for the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2 over Milwaukee on Wednesday.

The Reds scored 10 unanswered runs, capped by Phillips’ shot and Joey Votto‘s solo homer in the eighth.

With the win, Cincinnati kept the pressure on St. Louis for first in the NL Central after the teams entered play Wednesday in a virtual tie at the top.

Wood (1-1), who took a perfect game into the ninth inning on July 10, won in his sixth career start and the Reds piled on the runs, scoring five in the sixth off starter Chris Narveson and reliever Kameron Loe and five more off Carlos Villanueva in the eighth.

Cincinnati finished the trip 4-2 and is 26-24 away from Great American Ball Park.

The Reds’ bullpen of Jordan Smith, Arthur Rhodes, Nick Masset and Francisco Cordero combined for four scoreless innings, allowing three hits.

Trailing 2-0, the first six batters reached to start the sixth for the Reds, who sent 11 men to the plate. Votto’s RBI single chased Narveson (8-7) and Jonny Gomes tied the game when he drove in the 300th run of his career with a double off Loe.

Miguel Cairo followed with a two-run double and Ryan Hanigan’s squeeze bunt made it 5-2. The long inning ended Wood’s day, who finished scattering five hits and a walk with six strikeouts over five innings.

In the eighth, Villanueva loaded the bases on two singles and a walk to bring up Phillips, who hit the ball into the bright yellow slide in left field that starts in the upper deck and spirals down to the club level for his fourth career slam.

Votto followed two batters later with another shot to left field that made it 10-2. The slugging first baseman is 14 of 26 with three homers, nine runs and six RBIs in his last six games.

Cincinnati scored 22 runs off 32 hits in the final two games of this series after managing two runs off six hits in a 3-2 loss in the opener on Monday night.

Milwaukee had been playing better baseball of late, but the Brewers trail the Reds by nine games in the division with the non-waiver trade deadline looming Saturday.

Wood struck out five consecutive batters at one point, but trailed 2-0 on Ryan Braun’s RBI double and run-scoring single by Jonathan Lucroy. It could’ve been more, but right fielder Jay Bruce made a diving grab on a soft flare by Carlos Gomez to end the inning.

Game notes

Brewers 1B Prince Fielder was ejected after being called out on strikes to end the eighth and slamming his helmet. … Wood began walking off the mound after striking out Joe Inglett in the third, but had to be summoned back because there were only two outs. Wood struck out Narveson to end the inning. … Brewers 3B Casey McGehee took a hard shot to his lower right leg when Orlando Cabrera slid into him cleats first trying to steal third in the fourth. … Both teams have a day off Thursday.

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Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen all had four hits and Cincinnati roughed up Milwaukee Brewers 12-4

MILWAUKEE — Dusty Baker said Cincinnati’s performance reminded him of a merry-go-round. The Reds’ 19-hit effort brought them back where they’ve been most of the season — first place.

Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto [...]]]> Associated Press

Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen all had four hits and Cincinnati roughed up Milwaukee Brewers 12-4

MILWAUKEE — Dusty Baker said Cincinnati’s performance reminded him of a merry-go-round. The Reds’ 19-hit effort brought them back where they’ve been most of the season — first place.

Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen all had four hits and Cincinnati roughed up Milwaukee Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo in a 12-4 win Tuesday night that moved them back into a tie for first in the NL Central with St. Louis.

“If we can just keep the merry-go-round going, guys on the bases, pitchers in the stretch and them on defense, sooner or later, you can wear them down,” Baker said. “We needed to win, St. Louis lost so we’re back tied again. We’ll just go from here.”

The Reds trail St. Louis by percentage points in the standings, but it’s been rare for Cincinnati to be outside the top spot in the division. Since May 16, the Reds have spent 51 of the previous 72 days in first place or tied for first, exactly where they will start Thursday be when they try to win the three-game series against the Brewers.

The top four hitters in Cincinnati’s lineup — Phillips, Orlando Cabrera, Votto and Rolen — finished 15 for 22 with eight runs and seven RBIs as the Reds matched a season high with 19 hits.

“It was a big day for all of us,” Votto said. “When you get them all in a bunch, it’s usually a good thing for us.”

Rolen, who returned Monday night after missing nine games with a hamstring injury, snapped an 0-for-16 slump with hits in his first four plate appearances. He also had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

“We swung the bats well and put pressure on them all night,” Rolen said. “I feel good, I feel healthy, I’m going to get a day off tomorrow and we’ve got a day off after that. It’s good to get back out on the field.”

Rickie Weeks homered for the third time in as many days for Milwaukee, which saw its season-best five-game winning streak snapped.

Rookie reliever Logan Ondrusek (2-0) earned the win with 2 1/3 hitless innings after Reds starter Edinson Volquez had another trying night in his third appearance since reconstructive elbow surgery.

Gallardo (9-5) hit a two-run homer in his only at-bat, but looked uncomfortable on the mound and left when Phillips drove in a run on a two-out single in the third that made it 6-3.

It matched Gallardo’s shortest start of the season when he had to leave on July 4 in St. Louis after straining his left side. Gallardo went on the disabled list after that start and pitched well in his first game back last week in Pittsburgh.

“It was one of those days that it just felt like anything I threw up there was going to get hit,” Gallardo said.

The Reds, who lead the NL in runs scored, tacked on four more against Brewers reliever Chris Capuano and two off David Riske. One thing Cincinnati was missing in this hit parade — a homer.

“It wasn’t like there were any cheap hits,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said. “A couple of guys in the middle of the order had big nights. Not much to say.”

Volquez smacked his glove in frustration in the second inning after Gallardo hit the eighth homer of his career, and Volquez failed to make it out of the fourth inning because he struggled with command. Ondrusek settled things down, allowing just one baserunner on a walk.

“My whole body is strong, I just can’t throw a strike,” Volquez said. “I still have a little bit of a problem with my mechanics. Because my arm is good, my speed was pretty good, too, I just can’t put it together.”

Weeks continued his tear with his 22nd homer, a leadoff shot in the fourth off Volquez. Weeks has homered in seven of the last 10 games and has scored at least one run in the past 11.

Milwaukee has hit at least one homer in its last 16 games — going 11-5 — but the loss killed much needed momentum for the Brewers, who still aren’t sure if they’ll play a role of buyers or sellers in the trade market.

Game notes

Brewers RF Joe Inglett pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, hitting as high as 56 mph on the radar gun. He received a standing ovation. … Brewers RF Corey Hart (wrist, thumb) missed his fourth straight game, but says he’ll be ready to return to the lineup Friday. … With OF Jim Edmonds (Achilles) also ailing, LHP Randy Wolf pinch-hit in the third. … Reds RHP Homer Bailey gave up three runs in four innings and took the loss in a rehab start for Class-A Dayton on Monday night. … Brewers RHP LaTroy Hawkins (shoulder) says he’ll throw a final bullpen session on Wednesday. He’s expected to be activated from the 60-day DL before Friday’s game at Houston.

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Edmonds hits pinch HR to rally Brewers past Reds 3-2

MILWAUKEE — Pinch-hitter Jim Edmonds homered with two outs in the eighth after just missing a go-ahead shot on the previous pitch and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Monday night.

Rickie Weeks hit a two-run homer in the third [...]]]> Associated Press

Edmonds hits pinch HR to rally Brewers past Reds 3-2

MILWAUKEE — Pinch-hitter Jim Edmonds homered with two outs in the eighth after just missing a go-ahead shot on the previous pitch and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Monday night.

Rickie Weeks hit a two-run homer in the third inning as Milwaukee won its fifth straight to match a season-best streak after trailing 2-0 early.

Edmonds has been unable to play the field since his right Achilles’ tendon tightened Saturday night, but he didn’t need to run hard after his at-bat against Bronson Arroyo (10-6) in the eighth.

Edmonds hit a big blast off a fastball, dropping the bat only to watch his shot sail foul. He sent the next pitch over the Reds’ bullpen in right-center field.

Reliever Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched the eighth and rookie closer John Axford rebounded from his first blown save of the season Friday night to notch his 15th save in 16 attempts after allowing a one-out double to pinch-hitter Laynce Nix.

Milwaukee snapped a six-game losing streak to the Reds and kept them from moving into a virtual tie in the NL Central with St. Louis.

Cincinnati has been in first or second place in the division since early May, and Milwaukee has remained a distant third. They’re closing fast, but need to sweep the Reds to pressure the leaders.

Arroyo finished his 11th complete game, and second in a loss, after being staked a 2-0 lead.

With two outs in the third, Brewers starter Randy Wolf singled and Weeks followed with a 447-foot shot to straightaway center field to tie it at 2. Weeks has six homers in his last nine games, and the Brewers have hit at least one in 15 straight.

Arroyo had allowed just one run in his previous 16 innings against Milwaukee until Weeks’ at-bat and retired 13 straight before Edmonds’ hit.

The bullpen also picked up Wolf, who had given up 12 runs and volunteered to stay in the game to save Milwaukee’s tired relievers in a 15-3 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday. The move has paid off; Milwaukee hasn’t lost since.

Wolf scattered five singles over seven innings, only running into trouble by hitting Scott Rolen with a pitch and allowing singles to Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce.

Ryan Hanigan followed with a bases-loaded hit that gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead, setting the stage for Milwaukee’s rally.

Game notes

Milwaukee has won seven straight at Miller Park. … Rolen returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a strained right hamstring. … Brewers RF Corey Hart said his right thumb is still aching after crashing into a wall Friday sliding to make a catch and jamming his wrist. Hart played catch for the first time Monday, but still isn’t able to grip a bat and was wearing a brace on the bench during the game. … Amid trade rumors, Brewers manager Ken Macha joked he might give Prince Fielder a day off. That’s unlikely because Fielder has played in 286 straight games — the longest streak in franchise history.

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Starting Pitchers Cincinnati: Arroyo (10-5, 4.26 ERA) Milwaukee: Wolf (7-9, 5.20 ERA) 8:10 PM ET, July 26, 2010 Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

As they continue fighting for the NL Central lead, the Cincinnati Reds face the task of ending the Milwaukee [...]]]> STATS LLC

Starting Pitchers Cincinnati: Arroyo (10-5, 4.26 ERA) Milwaukee: Wolf (7-9, 5.20 ERA) 8:10 PM ET, July 26, 2010 Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

As they continue fighting for the NL Central lead, the Cincinnati Reds face the task of ending the Milwaukee Brewers‘ lengthy home win streak.

The Reds, however, have experienced plenty of success recently against the Brewers and will have Bronson Arroyo on the mound for Monday night’s series opener.

In his attempt to rebound from a difficult outing, Arroyo will try to earn his third consecutive win at Miller Park and lead Cincinnati to a record-tying seventh straight victory in the series between the NL Central rivals.

The Reds (55-45) regained the division lead with Saturday’s 7-0 win in Houston but matched a season low with three hits Sunday in a 4-0 loss, their major league-worst 12th shutout this season.

“When we hit, we are very good. But when we don’t score, we don’t score at all,” manager Dusty Baker said.

Cincinnati will next try to deny Milwaukee its first seven-game home win streak over one season since Aug. 10-24, 2003. The Brewers (47-53) also won their final five games at Miller Park in 2006 and the first two in 2007.

In an 8-3 win over Washington on Sunday. Rickie Weeks hit his fifth homer in eight games and Casey McGehee added a three-run shot to complete a three-game sweep.

Weeks, who has 11 RBIs in his last 10 games, is on pace to become the second player to drive in 100 runs from the leadoff spot. He has 64 RBIs this season but two in his last eight games against the Reds.

Facing Arroyo might not help Weeks add to his total as he’s 2 for 21 (.095) with 10 strikeouts in his career against the right-hander.

Arroyo (10-5, 4.26 ERA) is also 2-0 with a 1.63 ERA in his last four starts at Miller Park and posted a 0.64 ERA in his final two overall matchups against the Brewers in 2009. However, he enters this start after giving up seven runs over 5 2/3 innings Wednesday night against Washington.

The 8-5 defeat snapped a three-game win streak for Arroyo, who was 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his previous six starts.

His counterpart in Monday’s game, Randy Wolf (7-9, 5.20), fared even worse that same evening as he was tagged for a career-high 12 runs and 13 hits in a 15-3 defeat at Pittsburgh. The left-hander, who was 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his first four starts this month, could have ended his misery sooner but volunteered to stay in the game to help his team.

“I was getting to the point I liked the way I was throwing the ball, and then you have a day like today where you just get killed,” Wolf said.

A matchup with the Reds could help him put that miserable outing behind as he’s 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA in his last five starts against them. Wolf is also 9-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 16 career matchups.

If Wolf can lead the Brewers to a season high-tying fifth consecutive win, he would also help them avoid their longest skid to the Reds since this series began in 1997. The Reds won seven in a row May 6-16, 2002.

Cincinnati’s current win streak over Milwaukee includes a three-game road sweep Aug. 25-27 and two home wins May 17-18.

The Reds could get a boost in the pursuit of their next victory if Scott Rolen can return from a strained right hamstring. The third baseman is a career .304 hitter against the Brewers and is 3 for 8 (.375) against Wolf.

The statues of Milwaukee outfielders Corey Hart (right wrist) and Jim Edmonds (stiff right Achilles’ tendon) are also unknown.

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Scott Rolen is back in action after missing nine games as the Reds sit a half-game back of the idle Cardinals.

MILWAUKEE—Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen is back in the starting lineup against Milwaukee after missing nine games with a strained right hamstring.

The Reds open a three-game series against the Brewers on Monday [...]]]> Associated Press

Scott Rolen is back in action after missing nine games as the Reds sit a half-game back of the idle Cardinals.

MILWAUKEE—Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen is back in the starting lineup against Milwaukee after missing nine games with a strained right hamstring.

The Reds open a three-game series against the Brewers on Monday night.

The 35-year-old Rolen is a six-time All-Star and a catalyst for the Reds’ turnaround season. He’s batting .287 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs, but carries a season-long 0-for-13 slump into Milwaukee.

Rolen hurt himself on July 16 against the Rockies when he felt a burning sensation in his right hamstring after being thrown out at third. He also had a cortisone shot, but managed to avoid a trip to the 15-day disabled list.

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