GAME THREAD: NL: CINCINNATI (67-79) at MILWAUKEE (74-71)

NL: CINCINNATI at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CINCINNATI (6) AT MILWAUKEE (5) - HOW THEY SCORED
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CINCINNATI 1ST: N Hopper singled to center. J Keppinger walked, N Hopper
to second. K Griffey Jr fouled out to catcher. N Hopper stole third,
J Keppinger stole second. B Phillips singled to left center, N Hopper and
J Keppinger scored. B Phillips stole second. A Dunn homered to right, B Phillips
scored. E Encarnacion struck out swinging. J Votto singled to left center.
J Votto stole second. R Hanigan intentionally walked. T Shearn popped out to
shortstop. (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 4, MILWAUKEE 0.

CINCINNATI 2ND: N Hopper singled to right. N Hopper stole second.
J Keppinger reached on infield single to second, N Hopper to third. K Griffey Jr
popped out to first. B Phillips hit sacrifice fly to center, N Hopper scored.
A Dunn struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 4TH: R Weeks doubled to deep center. G Gross lined out to third.
R Braun struck out swinging. P Fielder homered to center, R Weeks scored.
C Hart safe at first on error by third baseman E Encarnacion. C Hart to second
on wild pitch by T Shearn. G Jenkins flied out to left. (2 Runs, 2 Hits,
1 Error) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 2.

MILWAUKEE 7TH: P Fielder popped out to shortstop. C Hart doubled to deep
center. G Jenkins struck out swinging. Milwaukee's G Jenkins ejected by
J Hirschbeck. J Estrada singled to center, C Hart scored. M Stocker
ran for J Estrada. T Coffey relieved T Shearn. M Stocker stole second. J Hardy
grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 3.

CINCINNATI 8TH: M Rivera catching. M Stocker in left field. M Stetter
relieved C Capuano. A Dunn hit a ground rule double to deep right center.
A Dunn to third on wild pitch by M Stetter. E Encarnacion hit sacrifice fly to
left, A Dunn scored. J Votto doubled to deep right. S Linebrink relieved
M Stetter. R Hanigan struck out looking. B Coats hit for T Coffey. B Coats
grounded out to second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 6, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 9TH: J Ellison in left field. B Bray relieved E Guardado. R Braun
popped out to second. P Fielder flied out to right. C Hart reached on bunt
single to pitcher. M Rivera homered to center, C Hart scored. K Mench hit for
M Stocker. K Mench fouled out to first. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 6,
MILWAUKEE 5.</div>

 

NL: CINCINNATI at MILWAUKEE

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CINCINNATI (6) AT MILWAUKEE (5) - EVENT LOG
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Cincinnati Starting Lineups -- N Hopper CF, J Keppinger SS, K Griffey Jr RF,
B Phillips 2B, A Dunn LF, E Encarnacion 3B, J Votto 1B, R Hanigan C, T Shearn RHP.

Milwaukee Starting Lineups -- R Weeks 2B, G Gross RF, R Braun 3B, P Fielder 1B,
C Hart CF, G Jenkins LF, J Estrada C, J Hardy SS, B Sheets RHP.

Umpires -- Wally Bell (HP), Mike Dimuro (1B), Bill Welke (2B), John Hirschbeck (3B).

Gametime Weather: INDOORS.


CINCINNATI 1ST: N Hopper singled to center. J Keppinger walked, N Hopper
to second. K Griffey Jr fouled out to catcher. N Hopper stole third,
J Keppinger stole second. B Phillips singled to left center, N Hopper and
J Keppinger scored. B Phillips stole second. A Dunn homered to right, B Phillips
scored. E Encarnacion struck out swinging. J Votto singled to left center.
J Votto stole second. R Hanigan intentionally walked. T Shearn popped out to
shortstop. (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 4, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 1ST: R Weeks fouled out to first. G Gross grounded out to first.
R Braun flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 4,
MILWAUKEE 0.

CINCINNATI 2ND: N Hopper singled to right. N Hopper stole second.
J Keppinger reached on infield single to second, N Hopper to third. K Griffey Jr
popped out to first. B Phillips hit sacrifice fly to center, N Hopper scored.
A Dunn struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 2ND: P Fielder walked. C Hart grounded into double play, second
to first, P Fielder out at second. G Jenkins grounded out to shortstop.
(0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

CINCINNATI 3RD: E Encarnacion flied out to left. J Votto struck out
swinging. R Hanigan fouled out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 3RD: J Estrada flied out to left. J Hardy fouled out to third.
L Nix hit for B Sheets. L Nix grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

CINCINNATI 4TH: C Capuano relieved B Sheets. T Shearn struck out swinging.
N Hopper struck out swinging. J Keppinger flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 0.

MILWAUKEE 4TH: R Weeks doubled to deep center. G Gross lined out to third.
R Braun struck out swinging. P Fielder homered to center, R Weeks scored.
C Hart safe at first on error by third baseman E Encarnacion. C Hart to second
on wild pitch by T Shearn. G Jenkins flied out to left. (2 Runs, 2 Hits,
1 Error) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 2.

CINCINNATI 5TH: K Griffey Jr singled to right. B Phillips singled to deep
center, K Griffey Jr to third, B Phillips out stretching at second. A Dunn
grounded out to first. E Encarnacion intentionally walked. J Votto lined out
to first. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 2.

MILWAUKEE 5TH: J Estrada flied out to center. J Hardy flied out to right.
C Capuano struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5,
MILWAUKEE 2.

CINCINNATI 6TH: R Hanigan struck out swinging. T Shearn grounded out to
pitcher. N Hopper grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 2.

MILWAUKEE 6TH: R Weeks flied out to right. G Gross flied out to center.
R Braun struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 2.

CINCINNATI 7TH: J Keppinger flied out to right. K Griffey Jr flied out to
left. B Phillips struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5,
MILWAUKEE 2.

MILWAUKEE 7TH: P Fielder popped out to shortstop. C Hart doubled to deep
center. G Jenkins struck out swinging. Milwaukee's G Jenkins ejected by
J Hirschbeck. J Estrada singled to center, C Hart scored. M Stocker
ran for J Estrada. T Coffey relieved T Shearn. M Stocker stole second. J Hardy
grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 5, MILWAUKEE 3.

CINCINNATI 8TH: M Rivera catching. M Stocker in left field. M Stetter
relieved C Capuano. A Dunn hit a ground rule double to deep right center.
A Dunn to third on wild pitch by M Stetter. E Encarnacion hit sacrifice fly to
left, A Dunn scored. J Votto doubled to deep right. S Linebrink relieved
M Stetter. R Hanigan struck out looking. B Coats hit for T Coffey. B Coats
grounded out to second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 6, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 8TH: E Guardado relieved T Coffey. J Dillon hit for S Linebrink.
J Dillon struck out swinging. R Weeks struck out swinging. B Hall hit for
G Gross. B Hall struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 6,
MILWAUKEE 3.

CINCINNATI 9TH: B Hall in center field. C Hart in right field. C Spurling
relieved S Linebrink. N Hopper singled to center. J Keppinger grounded into
double play, third to second to first, N Hopper out at second. B Shouse
relieved C Spurling. K Griffey Jr popped out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)
CINCINNATI 6, MILWAUKEE 3.

MILWAUKEE 9TH: J Ellison in left field. B Bray relieved E Guardado. R Braun
popped out to second. P Fielder flied out to right. C Hart reached on bunt
single to pitcher. M Rivera homered to center, C Hart scored. K Mench hit for
M Stocker. K Mench fouled out to first. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CINCINNATI 6,
MILWAUKEE 5.</div>

 

Sheets shelled as Brewers lose ground to Cubs

<h3>CINCINNATI 6, MILWAUKEE 5</h3>MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- With his team fighting to stay in theplayoff race, Milwaukee Brewers ace Ben Sheets picked a bad timeto have his worst outing of the season.


Sheets, who had won eight of his last nine decisions, allowedsix hits - including Adam Dunn's 39th home run - in just threeinnings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Brewers, 6-5, on Friday.

Reds rookie starter Tom Shearn (3-0) limited the Brewers to justfour hits over 6 2/3 innings as Milwaukee (74-72) dropped to 11/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs (76-71) in the National LeagueCentral.


Prince Fielder hit his National League-leading 45th home run andtied the club's single-season long ball record with the blast,but it was not enough for the Brewers, who lost for the thirdtime in four games.


"I don't have any pressure," Fielder said of the pennant race."I'm actually having fun. This is why you play. To me, there'sno pressure."


The Reds jumped all over Sheets (12-5) in the first inning.Norris Hopper led off with a single and Jeff Keppinger walked.The Reds executed a double steal with Ken Griffey Jr. up, andafter the Reds right fielder fouled out, Brandon Phillips drovein both runners with a single to left-center.


Dunn followed with a two-run home run down the right field line,driving in his 102nd and 103rd runs of the season, setting anew career high in the process.


"(Shearn) said thanks for giving him a four-run lead, and I toldhim I knew he was pitching, so we needed it," Dunn said,jokingly.


The Reds extended their lead to 5-0 when Phillips' sacrifice flyscored Hopper in the second.


"They jumped on me pretty early," Sheets said. "Four runs in thefirst pretty much dooms you. We scored five runs. This timeof year, I feel like that should be enough. I need to find a wayto pitch better."


Shearn held the Brewers hitless until the third inning whenRickie Weeks led off with a double. With two outs, Fielderhomered to center, extending his hitting streak to 12 games andtying Richie Sexson (2001 and 2003) and Gorman Thomas (1979) forthe franchise single-season record.


The Brewers trimmed the lead to 5-3 in the seventh on JohnnyEstrada's RBI single, but reliever Mitch Stetter, a Septembercall-up, gave that run back in the eighth. Dunn doubled, wentto third on a wild pitch and scored on Edwin Encarnacion'ssacrifice fly.


"(Runs) keep coming in bunches every time I step on the mound,"said Shearn, who has watched his team score 15 first-inning runsin his four starts. "It's unbelievable. I'm just trying not togive up as many as we score."


Shearn, who allowed three runs on four hits in two innings vs.the Brewers Sunday in relief, became the first Reds startingpitcher to begin his career with three straight victories sinceTom Browning did so in his first two seasons in 1984-1985. Therighthander retired the first nine batters he faced and finishedwith four strikeouts.


"He pitched extremely well," Reds interim manager Pete Mackaninsaid. "He kept us in the game. He got a lead and held onto it.Golly, four hits against a first-place team - that's a hell ofan outing."


Todd Coffey got the first out in the seventh, Eddie Guardado gotthree outs before Bill Bray got the last five outs for hisfirst save despite yielding a two-run homer to Mike Rivera withtwo outs in the ninth.


Sheets, who has never won more than 12 games in a season, walkedthree, and, along with his catcher Estrada, surrendered fivestolen bases in the first two innings.


"Johnny made a couple of nice throws; it's mostly Benny,"Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "Benny's a little slow to theplate and those guys are very, very quick and they get greatreads and they are tough to throw out."


Lefthander Chris Capuano, an All-Star in 2006 but banished tothe bullpen after losing 12 consecutive decisions, kept theBrewers close with four strikeouts and two hits allowed in fourshutout innings in relief of Sheets.