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Phillips breaks finger then drives in game winner as Reds edge Brewers

Sep 10, 2008 - 6:09 AM By Nick Berenz PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Playing spoiler seems to suit the Cincinnati Reds just fine down the stretch of the 2008 season.



Brandon Phillips experienced the ultimate joy by driving in the game-winning run in the 11th inning to lead the Reds to a 5-4 win over the wild-card leading Milwaukee Brewers before experiencing an extreme low after the game concluded.

Phillips found out that he broke his right index finger earlier in the game-winning at-bat while attempting to bunt the first pitch. He was visibly upset at his locker refusing to talk with the media. He will fly back to Cincinnati tomorrow to be examined by the Reds' medical staff.

Despite having virtually nothing left to play for, the Reds have shaken up the top of the division taking the last two series in Chicago and now Milwaukee. The team has now won three straight and eight of 10 overall.



Corey Patterson knocked a one-out double to left field and Phillips drove him in with a line drive RBI single off reliever Seth McClung (5-6) for the game-winner.

"This showed us we can play with the best teams in the division taking two of three from the Cubs and the Brewers," Patterson said. "For us, this is like our playoff and World Series, we know we're getting the best from them."

Rookie Ramon Ramirez pitched masterfully but was denied his first Major League win in his second career start.

After some control issues in the first, Ramirez settled down to dominate the Brewers in convincing fashion. The young righthander retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced giving up just one run and one hit over six innings.

"He settled down and found the strike zone, we wanted him to get that first victory, he really threw lights out," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He'll get that first one next time."

The Reds got back-to-back home runs in the sixth from Edwin Encarnacion and Jay Bruce off starter Jeff Suppan to take a 4-1 lead.

But in the seventh, pinch-hitter Ray Durham, drove out a three-run home run to tie the game, 4-4, and send it to extra innings. It was the veteran second baseman's fourth career pinch-hit homer.

"You always want to stay out of those big innings, you've just got to grind it out," Suppan said. "We just have to get ready for the next day, there' really nothing more you can say."

Reliever Jon Adkins (1-0) picked up the win pitching 1/3 of an inning and Francisco Cordero picked up his 29th save with a perfect 11th inning.



The Brewers have now lost seven of their last nine games, all at Miller Park and have failed to take advantage of the slumping Cubs - who lost earlier to the Cardinals 4-3. The Brewers trail the division -leading Cubs by 4 1/2 games.

"We know what we need to do and we're not making excuses for it," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We need to find ways to get hot and produce some runs."

Fortunately for the Brewers, the Phillies also lost 10-8 to the Marlins earlier so the Brewers maintained their three game lead in the wild card race.



After winning five consecutive decisions, Suppan has a loss and a no-decision in his last two outings. He gave up four earned runs over 5 1/3 innings on Tuesday.