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Gallardo pitches Brewers past Reds

Jul 25, 2007 - 4:02 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Yovani Gallardo pitched 6 2/3 strong innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Gallardo (3-1) muzzled the Reds on one run and six hits in his second start since returning to the starting rotation for the American League Central Division leaders.

Prince Fielder had two hits, including an RBI triple, and drove in two runs for Milwaukee, which entered with a three-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

"When I saw the ball get away from Dunn, I knew I had a chance for a triple," Fielder said. "Obviously you want to have good at bats. We took some tough pitches in the ninth against (reliever Mike) Stanton."

Pitching scoreless baseball through six innings, as he did in a 10-1 win over Arizona in his last outing, Gallardo walked three and struck out two.

"He wasn't as sharp this time," Brewer manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't pitch badly but he just made good pitches when he needed them. It shows you that these kids can find a way to get it done."

"In the first three innings I was in too much of a hurry. I would remember for a hitter then go back to rushing," Gallardo said. "After that I got into a rhythm."

Cincinnati pulled within 4-3 when Adam Dunn belted a two-run homer - his 27th of the season - off Derrick Turnbow in the eighth inning.

Fielder provided an insurance run in the ninth with a bloop single in the ninth inning off Stanton to make it 5-3.

Ryan Braun had a 10-pitch at bat and Fielder singled home the insurance run in the ninth at the end of an eight-pitch battle.

"We battled. That run was important. It helped us relax," Fielder said.

It was the first hit for the Fielder family against Stanton; Prince had been 0-for-3 and his father, Cecil, was 0-for-2 lifetime against the lefthanded reliever.

Closer Francisco Cordero worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 32nd save.

Milwaukee scored four times off Reds starter Matt Belisle (5-7), who finds himself on a short leash lately. Interim manager Pete Mackanin yanked the righthander after working less than five innings for the second start in a row.

"He didn't make pitches. You look at the kid the Brewers had Gallardo," Mackanin said. "He's highly touted, but his stuff wasn't any better than Belisle's. He just has the ability to make pitches. That was the difference."

Belisle lasted 3 2/3 innings, yielding four runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked two for the NL Central-cellar dwellers. He hasn't won since May 29.

"Pete and I have talked, and he's not going to put up with it," Belisle said. "He's made it clear. I have to earn that back, from my teammates and the skipper, that I'm going to be consistent. It's always the worst thing when you get taken off the mound, but Pete has made it clear to me that he's not going to put up with it."

Is Belisle's spot in the rotation in jeopardy?

"As I've said before, every time you go out on the field, you're auditioning," Mackanin said. "Matt Belisle is not solid in the rotation. Nobody can think that, including Matt. In my mind, he's going to be a successful starting major league starting pitcher. Right now, he's trying to find himself. We're putting a lot of thought into helping the team win games."

Gallardo's run-scoring single chased Belisle and capped a three-run third for Milwaukee. The inning included an RBI triple by Fielder and a run-scoring double by Geoff Jenkins.

"It is one of those things you need to do to help yourself," Gallardo said.

The Reds threatened in the first, loading the bases with two out, but Gallardo retired Jeff Keppinger on a routine fly to center to end the frame.

Scott Hatteberg doubled home Ryan Freel with one out in the seventh to put Cincinnati on the scoreboard, but Gallardo struck out Norris Hopper before Milwaukee Yost opted for Brian Shouse to face Ken Griffey Jr., who made two highlight-reel catches in right to keep the game as close.

"Griffey made two great catches," Yost said. "He probably saved them three runs. They were the kind that make you stand there and cuss."

Shouse got Griffey to foul out to end the seventh.

Mike Gosling kept the Reds in the game with three scoreless innings in relief.