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Reds rally to lift Lehr to win

Photo

Associated Press

Milwaukee Brewers' Prince Fielder, left, receives congratulations from Jody Gerut after hitting a home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, in Milwaukee.

MILWAUKEE — Justin Lehr overcame a rocky start Thursday to pitch into the eighth inning and drew a key walk in Cincinnati's five-run fifth, helping the Reds to an 8-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that completed a three-game sweep.

Lehr (3-1) struck out a career-high seven over 7 2-3 innings and Cincinnati matched its season-best winning streak at four. The Reds are 13-26 since the All-Star break.

Lehr settled down after a rough first inning and walked with two outs in the fifth to start Cincinnati's comeback. Joey Votto homered, drove in two runs and scored twice.

Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer in the first to give him 115 RBIs, tops in the majors, and Mike Cameron also drove in a run with a double. But Votto's RBI double in the fourth cut it to 4-1 and the Reds went in front in the fifth.

Brewers starter Dave Bush (3-5), who came off a two-month stint on the disabled list with an injured triceps muscle, looked sharp until he walked Lehr on nine pitches. Drew Stubbs singled and Paul Janish doubled home Lehr and Stubbs. Votto was intentionally walked before Bush was replaced by Mark DiFelice.

Brandon Phillips greeted DiFelice with an RBI double and Scott Rolen followed with a two-run single to give Cincinnati a 6-4 lead. Stubbs added a run-scoring single in the sixth and Votto hit his 20th homer, a solo shot, in the seventh.

Rolen, acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline from Toronto, is 7 of 19 with three RBIs since returning earlier this week from a concussion suffered when he was hit by a pitch Aug. 2.

Lehr, who pitched for Milwaukee from 2005-06, appeared headed for a quick exit after allowing five straight batters to reach in the first, but lasted until Cameron connected in the eighth.

Jared Burton got the last out of the eighth and Francisco Cordero struck out Ryan Braun with runners on the corners in the ninth for his 28th save.

It was another difficult loss for Milwaukee, which led the NL Central by two games at the beginning of July but is 19-31 since. The Brewers have allowed eight or more runs in 19 of those games while falling out of postseason contention.

NOTES: The Reds are 6-2 when Rolen plays. ... Reds manager Dusty Baker still wasn't sure who his starter would be heading into Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. RHP Homer Bailey (3-4, 6.82 ERA) is expected to start Friday. ... Brewers 2B Felipe Lopez (foot) returned and went 2 for 4. ... Milwaukee is 15-26 in day games this year.