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Keppinger sparks Reds past Brewers

Jul 26, 2007 - 3:40 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Jeff Keppinger was the International League's leading hitter when he was called up for the second time this season by the Cincinnati Reds on July 7.

Keppinger showed why, unloading a three-run double that capped a four-run uprising in the third inning to lead the Reds to a 7-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

Adam Dunn went 3-for-3 and Norris Hopper and Scott Hatteberg added RBI doubles in the eighth as the Reds won for the sixth time in their last seven home games.

"I got ahead 2-0 and stepped out of the batter's box," Keppinger said of his key hit. "I thought about taking a pitch because he walked the guy (Dunn) ahead of me. I was thinking he'd have to throw a fastball and didn't want to walk me. It was a good pitch to hit."

The year got off to a rocky start for Keppinger, who was hit by a pitch that broke his right ring finger two days into the spring training schedule.

Once cleared to play on April 22, Keppinger hit safely in 49 of 57 games to post a .368 average for the Louisville Bats, which was sandwiched by a brief three-game call-up in May.

The three-run double helped pushed his average with Cincinnati to .308.

"This is what I have worked so hard for," Keppinger said. "This is where I want to be. It's awesome."

Reds starter Kyle Lohse (6-12) avoided his major league-leading 13th loss by holding off the powerful Brewers lineup. His first five innings were scoreless, as he allowed only a pair of singles, but Craig Counsell hit his third home run with two outs and the bases empty in the sixth.

The night ended three batters later for Lohse, who was charged with two runs and five hits. He should have been out of the inning, but third baseman Edwin Encarnacion threw wide of first base on a routine grounder by Prince Fielder.

"Lohse pitched extremely well," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "After he gave up the home run, I felt he lost a little bit of his composure. I thought something was slipping. It worked out well for him and us."

Bill Hall, just reinstated from the 15-day disabled list, singled Kevin Mench home and ended Lohse's stint. The righthander struck out two and did not walk a batter.

Jon Coutlangus walked Geoff Jenkins to load the bases but Jared Burton got Tony Graffanino to hit a ground ball to Keppinger, who got the force to end the threat.

Burton pitched a scoreless seventh but Counsell walked to start the eighth and Mench singled. Mike Stanton was called in and gave up a run-scoring single to Fielder.

Interim manager Pete Mackanin brought in closer David Weathers with no outs and runners on the corners.

"We felt it was the game right there," Mackanin said. "I said when I came here we would win today but when you do that you have to keep in the back of your mind how it affects thebullpen in days to come. You can't say enough about Weathers. He's special."

Weathers, who had pitched more than one inning in nine of his previous 19 saves, struck out pinch hitter Ryan Braun and Jenkins as Fielder took off for second. Javier Valentin fired to short and Pedro Lopez's return throw nailed Mench for an inning-ending double play.

"That was my fault," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "We have a set play and it comes into play maybe four times a year. On a 3-2 count with runners on first and third, it automatically turns into a double steal when the hitter strikes out. I was counting on (Jenkins) putting the ball in play."

Weathers said he does not mind working more than one inning for a save.

"When I was pitching a lot in the seventh and eighth inning, I always thought there were times when we should have brought in the closer," Weathers said. "If you wait around in this game, sometimes it cost you."

The win was marred when Lopez was hit in the face by a fastball from Brewers reliever Matt Wise in the eighth inning.

Lopez lay on the ground for several minutes bleeding from the nose and mouth. He was sitting in the cart when taken from the field.

"I got there and blood was spewing from his mouth," Mackanin said. "He went to the hospital with (team physician) Dr. Kremchek. He may have a broken bone. I'm going to get with (general manager) Wayne Krivsky to talk about getting a player here."

Marquee free agent Jeff Suppan (8-9) failed to pitch into the seventh inning for the 10th straight time for Milwaukee. He is 1-4 with five no-decisions in that span and has not won since June 22.

The MVP of last year's National League Championship Series, Suppan pitched five innings with five runs allowed on 10 hits. The Brewers saw their lead in the National League Central Division sliced to two games over the Chicago Cubs.

"If I'm able to make some better pitches, I'd go deeper into games and help the team better that way," Suppan said. "It's just one of those things, and I'm trying to work through it. I've played long enough to know you've just got to grind through it."

Reds catcher David Ross left the game in the fourth inning. He dislocated the pinky finger on his right hand.