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Who needs Votto? Reds win 10th straight without star

Jul 30, 2012 - 12:11 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Hot as their name suggests, the Reds continued to scorch the competition on Sunday with a 7-2 victory over the Rockies.

Mat Latos (9-3) lasted eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts to help complete the three-game sweep.

The Reds have now won 10 straight games, which marks their longest streak since 1999. The National League Central-leaders are 14-2 since the All-Star break and have swept three straight series.

Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce both hit a fifth-inning homer in the victory while Miguel Cairo added a pair of RBI.

Jonathan Sanchez (0-2), in his second start since being acquired from the Royals, gave up six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in the setback.

Rookie Josh Rutledge hit a first-inning, two-run homer for the Rockies, losers of five straight home games.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time we have to go out and keep battling," Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler said about his team's struggles. "It's just not shaking out right now. Hopefully it will turn around soon."

Cincinnati completed a perfect six-game road trip with Sunday's win and improved to 11-2 since former NL MVP and three-time All-Star Joey Votto left the lineup with a knee injury.

Brandon Phillips, who drove home Stubbs with a single in the first inning, was removed from the game in the fifth.

"He had a cramp, a very serious cramp," said Reds manager Dusty Baker. "I'm hoping it's just that."

Stubbs finished with three RBI and a stolen base. He had a sacrifice fly after Zack Cozart's leadoff triple in the third, then plated Cozart again in the fifth with his 12th homer of the season.

Bruce followed two batters later with a solo shot -- his 20th of the year.

"We had some big home runs out of some guys and we swung the bats well this series," Baker said.

Chris Heisey had a triple in the second inning and a double in the eighth and Cairo drove him home on both occasions, notching a sac fly and a single, respectively.

Game Notes

The Reds won the season series against the Rockies, 5-1...Votto underwent arthroscopic surgery on July 17 to repair the torn medial meniscus in his left knee. He is expected to miss three-to-four weeks from the time of the procedure...Sanchez was acquired on July 20 in exchange for pitcher Jeremy Guthrie.