• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Reds hand Arroyo ball in opener with Brewers

Aug 6, 2012 - 2:57 PM (Sports Network) - Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo aims for a third quality start against Milwaukee this summer when the Cincinnati Reds visit Miller Park for the first of three games against the host Brewers.

Arroyo, a Key West, Fla. native who turned 35 in February, is 13-8 lifetime against the Brewers with a 3.67 earned run average across 27 appearances - 24 starts - and 157 innings of work.

He got a no-decision after allowing three runs on three hits in 7 2/3 innings of Cincinnati's 4-3 win on June 26 at Great American Ball Park, then earned a 6-2 triumph at the same venue on July 21 following six innings of two-run ball on five hits.

The defeat of Milwaukee was the first of three straight wins for Arroyo, who's subsequently beaten Colorado and San Diego while slightly trimming his ERA from 3.98 to 3.87.

He's 5-4 in 11 road starts this season and three wins away from reaching double digits for the seventh time in his career and fifth time in seven seasons with the Reds since a 2006 trade with Boston.

Milwaukee counters with ace right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who's fallen below .500 in his career against the Reds with losses on June 25 and against Arroyo on July 21.

The 26-year-old Mexican, now 4-5 in 14 starts against Cincinnati, combined to allow 13 hits and six runs in 11 2/3 innings in those games while running career totals against the Reds to 86 hits and 46 runs in 78 1/3 innings.

Cincinnati batters have hit a composite .281 against him - 40 points higher than his career mark of .241.

He lost to Washington, 8-2, in his next start after the most recent loss to the Reds, but bounced back for a 10-1 defeat of Houston on July 31 after giving up just three hits and a run in seven innings.

Gallardo is 5-3 in 12 home starts.

On Sunday in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett (14-3) held the Reds to a pair of runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven in 8 2/3 innings of the Pirates' 6-2 win.

Drew Stubbs homered and scored twice for the Reds, who had won 15 of 16.

Homer Bailey (9-7) picked up his first loss since June 27 after getting roughed up for his second straight start. Bailey, who gave up six runs in 3 2/3 frames on Tuesday, was tagged for four runs on nine hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings in the setback.

Cincinnati leads second-place Pittsburgh by 4 1/2 games in the National League Central Division.

In St. Louis, Kyle Lohse spun six scoreless innings and the Cardinals blanked the Brewers, 3-0, to complete a three-game sweep at Busch Stadium.

Marco Estrada (0-5) pitched well in defeat, giving up just a run on seven hits and a walk over six strong innings to remain winless on the season.

The Brewers have lost a season-high nine straight road games.

The Reds have won seven of nine games between the teams in 2012, including a three-game sweep in Cincinnati when they last met from July 20-22.

Milwaukee last won the season series in 2006.