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Fielder keeps Brewers above water in win over Reds

Sep 22, 2008 - 1:25 AM By Douglas Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Thanks to another big afternoon from Prince Fielder, the fading Milwaukee Brewers aren't quite dead yet.

Fielder homered and drove in three runs as the Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak and picked up just their fifth win in 20 games this month with an 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo paid for his decision to pitch to Fielder, the one hitter for the Brewers who hasn't succumbed to the team's September swoon. Milwaukee (85-71) moved within 1 1/2 games of the New York Mets in the National League wild card race.

The burly first baseman came into the game with a .441 average, four home runs and 11 RBI over his last 10 games, and that hot streak continued against the Reds. He got things going in the second inning with a deep blast to right-center field, his 33rd of the season.

"I think we have been playing good baseball but things have not been going our way," Fielder said. "We have been trying to stay positive, and realize that baseball is baseball. It is not easy and things happen."

Two innings later, Fielder touched up Arroyo again, this time with a two-run double to right that staked Milwaukee to a 3-0 lead.

Arroyo (15-11) was knocked out of the game after allowing two more runs in the sixth inning when Danny Richar failed to complete a double play, allowing two runners to score. Although Arroyo struck out eight, the six runs - five earned - were the most that he has allowed since a July 29 outing against the Houston Astros.

"Once we got behind, we could not dig ourselves out of it," Arroyo said.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee starter Seth McClung was having a rough afternoon of his own. The Reds chased McClung in the fourth after he loaded the bases with one out, but Todd Coffey (1-0) got out of the jam by striking out both of the batters he faced to limit the damage to one run.

"It felt good to come into a situation like that and help us in a playoff race," Coffey said.

The situation was especially vindictive for Coffey, whom the Brewers claimed off waivers from the Reds on September 10.

"For me personally to come in and face my old team it felt good," Coffey said. "I came into a big situation out there and did what I had to do. I spent 10 years here in this organization, so I wanted to keep my head up. They made their decision (to let me go) and I understand it. I am going to plug along and when I return then I have the motive to pitch even better."

Making his first start since July 21, McClung allowed one run, two hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

All-Star left fielder Ryan Braun, who came into the game mired in a 6-for-51 slump (.118) with two RBI over that span, started to get back on track on Sunday with two hits and an RBI. Corey Hart drove in a pair of runs - both on sacrifice flies - and J.J. Hardy added three hits, including a run-scoring single in the ninth.

"This is baseball, you never know what could happen," Fielder said. "The people in front of us could do what we did, if we keep playing our game I think we will be alright. Or at least be able to sleep at night."