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Phillips, Ludwick lead Reds past Brewers

Jul 22, 2012 - 3:03 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Brandon Phillips and Ryan Ludwick each hit two-run home runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-2, in the middle test of a three-game set.

Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen also knocked in a run for the Reds, who have won three straight and 10 of their last 12 games.

Bronson Arroyo (5-6) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings to earn the win.

Yovani Gallardo (8-7) surrendered four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings for Milwaukee, which has dropped four of its last seven.

"I thought he came out throwing the ball well, but all of a sudden you have got people on base and they're scoring runs," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said about Gallardo.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in their first at-bat with three straight one- out singles by Zack Cozart, Phillips and Bruce, scoring Cozart and placing runners on the corners.

Rolen then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Phillips before Ludwick pulled a ball over the left-field wall to give the Reds a quick 4-0 lead.

"I worked the count in my favor and got a fastball," Ludwick said about his home run. "To get four runs in the first off [Gallardo], you have got to take it. He's pretty good."

Milwaukee squandered a leadoff double by Aramis Ramirez in the second inning but was able to get on the board in the fourth when Travis Ishikawa started the frame with a ground-rule double to right field. He came home three batters later on a Corey Hart base hit to left.

The Brewers added another run in the sixth after Ishikawa hit a leadoff double to right-center field, advanced to third on Ryan Braun's single and came home on Ramirez's double-play groundout to get within 4-2.

Cincinnati failed to add to its lead in the home sixth when Rolen was thrown out at home on a Ludwick grounder following a one-out triple. The Reds also left the bases loaded in the inning, but regained some cushion in the seventh on Phillips' two-run homer into the left-field bleachers.

Cozart walked prior to Phillips' 12th home run of the year.

Milwaukee did not threaten again as Sean Marshall and Sam LeCure combined to pitch a perfect seventh and Logan Ondrusek tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the game.

Game Notes

Arroyo improved to 13-8 in 27 career appearances -- 24 starts -- against the Brewers...Gallardo fell to 4-5 in 14 career starts against Cincinnati...It was the 74th straight game at Great American Ball Park with a home run...The Reds lead the all-time series between the teams, 123-108-1, and the season series by a mark of 6-2.