Brewers 6, Reds 3
Ryan Braun hit two of Milwaukee's five home runs as the Brewers edged closer to the National League Central title Friday with a 6-3 triumph over the host Cincinnati Reds.
Mark Kotsay had a two-run blast for the Brewers while Prince Fielder and George Kottaras added solo shots for the Brewers, who maintained their 5 1/2-game lead over St. Louis in the National League Central and cut their magic number to clinch the division to seven.
Cincinnati hurler Bronson Arroyo (8-12) entered the game having allowed 40 home runs, good for a share of the franchise record. The veteran righthander promptly surrendered four homers to the Brewers, beginning with Fielder taking a hanging breaking ball in the second inning and belting it deep into the right field seats for his 33rd of the season.
Kotsay’s two-run shot into the batter’s eye in center put Milwaukee on top in the third and Braun followed with his 29th. Kottaras went deep in the seventh and Arroyo’s night was done one batter later.
Braun took Jeremy Horst deep in the eighth inning to reach the 30-homer plateau for the fourth time in five seasons.
Randy Wolf (13-9) went seven-plus strong innings, yielding three runs while striking out seven, to pick up the win. John Axford worked the ninth for his 43rd save.
Joey Votto had three hits and three RBIs in defeat for the Reds.