Cincinnati, OH - Jeff Keppinger knocked in three runs with a double, as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-3, at Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati starter Kyle Lohse tossed 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs — one earned — on five hits. Lohse (6-12), who retired 11 batters in a row at one point, struck out two while not issuing a walk.
Ryan Freel, Brandon Phillips and Scott Hatteberg all had two hits and an RBI for the Reds, who won for the second time in their last six games.
Adam Dunn added three hits in the victory and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Jeff Suppan (8-9) started for Milwaukee and was tagged for five runs on 10 hits. He is now winless in his last six starts.
Craig Counsell hit a home run while Kevin Mench had two hits for the Brewers, who have four losses in their last six games.
After two scoreless frames, the Reds got on the board in the third. Hatteberg doubled with one out and moved to third on a wild pitch. Freel then walked and Ken Griffey Jr. popped out, before Phillips singled home Hatteberg. Dunn followed with a walk to load the bases and Keppinger cleared them with a double down the right-field line to make it 4-0.
Cincinnati added a run in the fourth inning to make it a five-run advantage. David Ross started things with a double, but was injured on his head-first slide into second and was replaced by Javier Valentin. Lohse’s sacrifice bunt moved Valentin to third and with one out, Freel knocked him in with a base hit up the middle.
Counsell got Milwaukee on the board in the sixth with a solo home run with two outs. Prior to Counsell’s homer, Lohse retired 11 straight. Mench followed with a base hit and Prince Fielder reached first on Edwin Encarnacion’s throwing error, before Bill Hall’s RBI single to left that made it 5-2.
In the eighth, Counsell walked and Mench followed with a single, chasing Jared Burton from the game as Mike Stanton came on. Fielder greeted the veteran Stanton with a single to left to plate Counsell to make it a two-run game. David Weathers then came into the game for Cincy and struck out pinch- hitter Ryan Braun. Geoff Jenkins then fanned as Fielder broke for second. Valentin threw for second as Mench broke for home. Phillips quickly caught the throw and fired home in time to nab Mench at the plate.
The Reds got some breathing room after scoring a pair of runs in the home half of the eighth despite a scary incident. Pedro Lopez led off the frame and could not get out of the way of Matt Wise’s fastball that hit him near the mouth area. Lopez immediately fell to the ground and began spitting up blood. After staying down for several minutes, team trainers managed to get Lopez on his feet. He was then sat down on a cart that drove him off the field as he held a towel to his mouth.
Jeff Conine replaced Lopez and he stole second and scored on Norris Hopper’s two base hit. Hatteberg followed with a double to right to plate Hopper and make it a four-run lead that held as Weathers was credited with his 20th save.
Game Notes
Ross is listed as day-to-day…The Reds finished with 13 hits…Before the game, the Brewers strengthened their bullpen, acquiring relief pitcher Scott Linebrink from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league pitchers Joe Thatcher, Will Inman and Steve Garrison…Also before the game, the Brewers reinstated Hall from the 15-day disabled list.
