Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Joey Votto capped a ninth-inning rally with a game-winning single off the wall in right field, and the Reds scored three times off embattled Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman to take a 5-4 win and earn a short two-game sweep at Great American Ball Park.
Hoffman Blows Fifth As Reds Rally Past Brewers In Ninth
Hoffman (1-3) did not retire a single batter in the ninth, which started with a Paul Janish single. Scott Rolen came on in a pinch-hitting role and sent a two-run homer deep to left to tie the score and assure Hoffman of a fifth blown save on the year -- one more than all of last season.
Rookie Chris Heisey followed with a double and Hoffman walked Brandon Phillips before Votto ripped what amounted to a single off the base of the right-field wall as the winning run crossed home.
Votto also hit a monstrous home run to center field in the eighth measured at 460 feet and ended 3-for-5 on the afternoon. Jonny Gomes added an RBI double for the Reds, who have won four in a row and nine of 10 games overall to climb into first place in the NL Central.
Carlos Fisher (1-1) was awarded the win after tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Casey McGehee had three hits and drove in two and Ryan Braun hit his seventh home run of the season for the Brewers, whose losing streak reached eight games in a third consecutive series sweep.
The Brewers received a fine effort from their pitching staff prior to Hoffman's arrival in the ninth. Manny Parra went four innings, gave up four hits, a run and walked four in a spot start. It was his first of the season and became necessary when the rotation was shuffled to accommodate Doug Davis' trip to the disabled list.
Marco Estrada, recalled from Triple-A Nashville before the game, worked four strong innings in relief of Parra. He struck out four, failed to walk a batter and gave up two hits -- one Votto's home run.
Homer Bailey was equally effective for Cincinnati over seven innings, yielding four hits and two runs with four strikeouts. The outing followed up his first winning start of the season, a four-hit shutout of Pittsburgh.
The Brewers got the bats going in the first inning with a pair of two-out runs. Braun hammered a fastball deep to the seats in left and Prince Fielder followed with a double to the gap in left-center, then chugged home on a McGehee hit through the left side.
The Reds had an immediate answer in their turn. Heisey walked leading off and rounded the bases on a two-out double into the left-field corner by Gomes.
Both sides had their chances for more over the next several innings, none better than Cincinnati's turn in the fourth. A Jay Bruce hit and walks to both Ryan Hanigan and Heisey loaded the bases for Phillips, who was retired on a groundout.
Estrada took over from there and retired the first nine batters he faced to keep the margin intact. It helped to build a 4-1 lead in the eighth when Alcides Escobar legged out an infield single, moved to second on a walk to Braun and scored on an opposite-field base hit by McGehee.
Fisher took over for Daniel Ray Herrera with two outs and made it a three-run game with a wild pitch to score Braun. Votto then ended a terrific run by Estrada in dramatic fashion and made it 4-2 heading to the ninth.
Parra has made 15 appearances out of the bullpen this season, compiling a 3.98 ERA...Estrada made his Brewer debut after appearing in 15 games over the last two seasons for Washington. His recall became possible when outfielder Jim Edmonds landed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle. The move is retroactive to May 16...Cincinnati has won six of seven at home and six straight in the series...McGehee also stole his first base of the year...Votto has nine homers this season, while Rolen hit his eighth of 2010. He had 11 all of last season in 128 games...Hoffman made his 999th career appearance a forgettable one.
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