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Reds turn to Cueto in Milwaukee

Aug 7, 2012 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - Dominican right-hander Johnny Cueto faces the Milwaukee Brewers for the second time in less than a month today, when the Cincinnati Reds return to Miller Park for game two of a four-game series.

Cueto was a 2-1 winner when the teams met in Cincinnati on July 22 after allowing eight hits and a run in seven innings.

He's 3-2 in 11 career starts against Milwaukee with a 3.49 earned run average across 67 innings of work.

Now 26 years old, Cueto added to a career-best win total on Aug. 2 against San Diego, when he improved to 14-5 with 7 1/3 innings of four-run ball in a 9-4 victory.

Cueto hasn't lost since a two-game skid on June 28 an July 3, following the brief skid with wins in five straight starts.

The Reds saw a full game shaved off their National League Central Division lead in Monday's series opener, when Yovani Gallardo dazzled Cincinnati hitters over seven frames in a 6-3 Brewers win.

Gallardo (10-8) gave up one run on six hits and struck out four. It was the second start in a row Gallardo held an opponent to just one run and the 10th time this season he has surrendered one or fewer earned runs.

"(Gallardo) had good command on his fastball again," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "He also had really good command of his slider. He pitched a good game."

Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez hit back-to-back homers and Martin Maldonado belted a two-run shot, all within a span of four batters in the sixth inning.

Maldonado finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI, as the Brewers bounced back with a win after being swept by the Cardinals.

John Axford recorded the final five outs to pick up his 18th save of the season.

Bronson Arroyo (7-7) was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Arroyo struck out five and didn't walk a batter as he fell for the first time in four starts.

"I'm always comfortable in this ballpark. I knew keeping the ball down was going to be at a premium today," Arroyo said. "They put some good swings on balls and played a good game."

Zack Cozart went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and Dioner Navarro and Xavier Paul each drove in a run for the Reds, who lost for the second straight game and just their third time in 18 tries.

Cincinnati leads Pittsburgh, which defeated Arizona on Monday, by 3 1/2 games.

The Brewers start second-year righty Mike Fiers, who enters the game on a two- start win streak.

The 27-year-old native of Hollywood, Fla. surrendered a combined 12 hits and two runs in 12 1/3 innings while defeating Washington and Houston on July 27 and Aug. 1, respectively.

He'd been winless in his previous three hard-luck starts, losing a pair of decisions while allowing 16 hits and four runs in 20 1/3 innings.

His most recent loss came against the Reds and Cueto on July 22.

The Reds have won seven of 10 games between the teams in 2012, including a three-game sweep in Cincinnati when they last met from July 20-22.

Milwaukee last won the season series in 2006.