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Braun homers twice as Brewers best Reds

Sep 17, 2011 - 5:32 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Ryan Braun belted two home runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Prince Fielder, George Kottaras and Mark Kotsay all homered for the Brewers, who bounced back after dropping a 6-2 decision to the Rockies on Wednesday.

Randy Wolf (13-9) was stellar, going seven-plus innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while fanning seven without issuing a walk. John Axford worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 43rd save of the season.

The Brewers maintained a 5 1/2 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central after St. Louis beat Philadelphia on Friday.

Joey Votto collected three hits and all three RBI, while Brandon Phillips added a pair of hits for the Reds, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Bronson Arroyo (8-12) lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits while striking out two and walking three.

The Reds opened the scoring in their first at-bat when Dave Sappelt ripped a one-out double and came around to score on a single by Votto for a 1-0 lead.

It didn't last long.

The Brewers came right back to tie the game in the next frame courtesy of the mighty bat of Fielder, who deposited a fastball from Arroyo about seven rows back in the right field seats.

Milwaukee used the long-ball again in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Nyjer Morgan worked a two-out walk and Kotsay crushed an Arroyo offering onto the lawn beyond the center field wall. Braun followed with a solo-shot to right.

Cincinnati threatened in the home half of the frame when Phillips beat out an infield single to leadoff the frame and Votto singled to right to put runners on first and second with one out. The Reds were unable to cash in however, as Jay Bruce grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

The Brewers tacked on another run in the seventh on Kottaras's solo-shot to right to make it 5-1. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Braun's second bomb of the game in the eighth inning made it 6-1.

"I think when I am going well, I'm staying on the ball and driving it the other way," Braun said. "Hopefully there are good things to come here in the next few weeks."

Cincinnati got two runs back in the home half of the eighth when Paul Janish, Todd Frazier and Phillips all singled against Wolf to load the bases with no outs. Francisco Rodriguez was then summoned from the Milwaukee bullpen. After Yonder Alonzo flied out to left, Votto ripped a two-run single to make it 6-3. Following the RBIs, the Reds still had men on first and second with one out, but Bruce grounded into another inning-ending double play.

"We just can't seem to keep the ball in the ball park," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "They hit five home runs off us. We need home runs, but not like that."

Game Notes

The Brewers are 36-40 on the road this season...Reds manager Dusty Baker is one win shy of 1,480 in his managerial career...The Reds are 40-36 at home this season...Cincinnati leads the all-time series with the Brewers 117-104-1...Braun's two homers give him 30 on the season to go with 30 stolen bases...Wolf is now 11-4 in his career against the Reds...Arroyo has allowed 44 home runs this season.