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Dunn, Patterson help Reds pound Brewers

Apr 10, 2008 - 5:05 AM By JR Radcliffe PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Brandon Phillips made the kind of error that can usually open the offensive floodgates. That's exactly what happened - just not the way one might expect.

Phillips' fifth-inning gaffe led to two runs, but the Cincinnati Reds bounced back by scoring 10 times in the final four innings en route to a 12-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.

Adam Dunn hit his first home run of the season, Corey Patterson belted a two-run homer and every starter had at least one hit for Cincinnati.

"Seems like that woke us up even more," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of the Phillips error - a ground ball hit by Rickie Weeks that went through his legs and allowed a pair of runs to score for a 3-2 lead.

"The ball kind of hit the grass and took a big hop, and when it hit the dirt it stayed down on me," Phillips said. "I just had to keep my head up, man, you can't make all the plays. That's one thing I learned last year. I tried to do too much and made mistakes."

But the error mattered little. Dunn hit a fly ball in the seventh off Derrick Turnbow that ricocheted off center fielder Gabe Gross' glove and over the wall for a two-run blast.

"You could see it coming," Baker said. "He's starting to swing the bat better."

Dunn's blast put the Reds up, 7-3, and Cincinnati then put the game out of reach with a three-run sixth. The Reds churned out five singles in the game-changing frame. Three of them came off Milwaukee starter Dave Bush (0-2), who allowed five runs - four earned - on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"It's a big game today," Baker said. "We would have been 3 1/2 (games) out instead of 1 1/2 out, so we get a big chance to gain more ground tomorrow. That was a huge game for us to win. Especially with the way these guys play at home."

Phillips had a hand in the rally. He singled and later scored on a perfectly executed hit-and-run. After a sacrifice fly from Dunn, Phillips took off for third and Keppinger hit it right where third baseman Bill Hall had been, plating Phillips for a 4-3 lead.

"I just do what I can do. I try to use my legs and go out there and play the game the right away," Phillips said. "Everybody did their job today."

Milwaukee's Ryan Braun hit his third home run of the season in the fourth off Josh Fogg (1-1).

Fogg allowed three runs - one earned - and four hits in five innings. Fogg struck out three and did not issue a walk. It was the third straight outing in which a Reds starter did not allow a walk.

Bill Hall hit his fourth homer of the season in the ninth for the Brewers.