Reds
Brewers
2 - 1 Final
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Votto delivers in ninth as Baker notches 1,500th win

May 9, 2012 - 10:16 PM

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Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Cincinnati broke a scoreless tie when Joey Votto delivered with a two-out RBI double in the top of the ninth inning, and the Reds held on to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Milwaukee closer John Axford (0-2) struck out the first two batters in the ninth before Drew Stubbs reached on a broken-bat single and came around to score on Votto's double to right field. Brandon Phillips then plated Votto with a bloop single to center field.

Ryan Braun homered to left-center field off Sean Marshall to begin the home ninth. Marshall retired two in a row, but was replaced by Logan Ondrusek after Jonathan Lucroy and pinch-hitter Norichika Aoki hit back-to-back singles.

Ondrusek walked pinch-hitter George Kottaras to load the bases, but he notched his first major league save when pinch-hitter Travis Ishikawa popped up the first pitch he saw to left field.

When asked about Ishikawa swinging at the first pitch, Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke replied, "He's up there and if he gets a good pitch to hit, he should hit it."

Pitching dominated Wednesday's matinee at Miller Park as Cincinnati right- hander Johnny Cueto was locked in a duel with Milwaukee counterpart, Zack Greinke, who struck out 11 batters and scattered two hits over eight innings.

Cueto allowed five hits, walked one and fanned five in seven frames, lowering his earned run average this season to 1.12.

"That was a well-played game by both sides," said Cincinnati's Dusty Baker, who picked up his 1,500th career managerial victory. "Greinke pitched great and Johnny Cueto pitched great, too. That was an old-school pitching matchup."

Aroldis Chapman (3-0) earned the win after recording two strikeouts as part of a 1-2-3 eighth.

Stubbs and Phillips had two hits apiece for Cincinnati, which has gone undefeated in its last six series (5-0-1).

Aramis Ramirez and Taylor Green both doubled for the Brewers, who lost their first home game ever with Greinke starting. They had been 18-0 coming in.

Game Notes

Milwaukee has dropped four consecutive series...Greinke recorded the 15th double-digit strikeout game of his career...Marshall allowed his second home run this year. He gave up only one in 2011.






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