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Big first inning helps Reds sink Brewers

Sep 8, 2007 - 4:08 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- It took just a short time for the joy to leave the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cincinnati Reds used a six-run, first-inning outburst and cruised to an 11-4 victory over the Brewers on Friday.

Edwin Encarnacion and rookie Joey Votto each drove in two runs in the initial frame and Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 593rd homer an inning later for Cincinnati, which has won seven of 10 vs. Milwaukee - including five of seven here.

Rookie Josh Hamilton had four hits, including his 19th homer to increase his batting average to .297.

The 26-year-old outfielder was happy with his output despite coping with the aches and pains of an entire season.

"I've been happy with the way the year has gone," Hamilton said. "As far as my body, I have the normal aches and pains. It actually helps me. I'm not trying to do to much or pull everything. I'm taking the ball to left field. This is my learning year."

For the Brewers (71-69), it was a disappointing start after regaining a piece of the National League Central lead with the Chicago Cubs, who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

Chicago (71-69) also lost, 6-1, to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, so both clubs are one-half game in front of the St. Louis Cardinals (69-68), who face the Arizona Diamondbacks later Friday.

The road loss for Milwaukee was its seventh in eight games, which doesn't engender much confidence for a club that plays 13 of its next 16 games away from home.

The Reds ended the night early for Brewers starter Dave Bush (11-10).

After Hamilton led off the first with a double and Alex Gonzalez hit single to put runners on second and third, Griffey hit a run-scoring base hit to right field to start the splurge. Adam Dunn's RBI single to left to made it 2-0 and, two batters later, Encarnacion also singled to left, driving in two more for a four-run advantage.

"I just got my butt kicked," Bush said. "Do you think I'm looking at the scoreboard when I'm getting my butt Kicked?"

"(Bushy) had some help," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said.

Bush had a chance to get out of the first with just one run. Griffey's smash with runners at first and third could have been fielded by Rickie Weeks, and Hardy threw too late to force Griffey on Brandon Phillips' slow roller that would have been the third out.

With runners on first and second and one out, Votto boomed a double into the right-center field gap to give Cincinnati a 6-0 lead. The score could have been more, but on Hamilton's single to right, Votto was cut down at home plate by a relay throw from first baseman Prince Fielder to Johnny Estrada.

More damage was done to Bush in the second. Gonzalez doubled to the center field wall and Griffey hammered a 2-2 pitch deep over the right field wall to make it 8-0. It was the 30th homer for the future Hall of Famer, giving him nine different seasons with 30-plus blasts.

Mercifully, Bush was taken out of the contest after getting shelled for a career-high eight runs and nine hits in one-plus innings, the shortest start of his career.

Hamilton added an RBI single and Gonzalez a run-scoring double in a two-run third off reliever Chris Capuano to increase the lead to 10-0.

Cincinnati scored its final run in the eighth on a solo shot by Hamilton, who went 4-for-5 on the night.

The Reds made it a pretty easy win for Bronson Arroyo (8-14), who allowed three runs, five hits and a walk in 7 2/3 innings to gain his third win in his last five starts.

"Six runs in the first was beautiful, man," said Arroyo, who got run support of two runs or fewer in 12 starts this season. "It allowed me to work to the fatter part of the plate and do things that I might not have done."

Arroyo retired 10 in a row before Prince Fielder launched his National League-leading 42nd home run leading off the fifth. The Brewers turned a pair of singles and a pair of groundouts into a second run but Arroyo retired another nine straight.

That string was broken when Mike Rivera hit his first home run of the season with two out in the eighth.

"We had a lot of good efforts today," Cincinnati manager Pete Mackanin said. "I was hoping Bronson would get a complete game but he looked tired. Bill Bray got some work that he needed."

Rookie Joe Dillon added an RBI single in the ninth for the Brewers, who were outhit, 13-7.