MILWAUKEE — Joey Wiemer and Willy Adames hit two-run homers and Corbin Burnes allowed just three hits in six innings as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the division-leading Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Friday night in a matchup of the NL Central’s top teams.
The victory lifted the Brewers to within a game of the Reds, who saw their five-game winning streak halted. Milwaukee won for the fourth time in five games against Cincinnati.
Burnes (7-5) walked four and struck out six to win consecutive games for the first time since mid-April.
Joey Votto hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati, which entered the key series a season-high 10 games over .500 and had won eight of their last nine, and 20 of the last 24.
Burnes' only trouble came in the fifth inning. Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz blooped a single into short left field. One out later, Votto crushed a 0-1 pitch into the second tier of the right-field bleachers.
Since coming off the 60-day injured list because of left shoulder and left biceps surgery on June 19, Votto has six home runs and 15 RBIs in 18 appearances.
Adames hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the fifth.
The Brewers jumped out 2-0 in the first on consecutive doubles by William Contreras, Adames and Owen Miller. Wiemer slugged a two-run homer in the second.
Victor Caratini had an RBI single for Milwaukee in the seventh.
Trying to protect a five-run lead in the top of the ninth, Tyson Miller walked two and gave up a run-scoring double to Votto with one out. Brewers manager Craig Counsell turned to his closer, Devin Williams, who struck out Spencer Steer, walked Tyler Stephenson and fanned pinch-hitter Nick Senzel for his 19th save in 21 chances,
Andrew Abbott (4-1) allowed six runs on nine hits, a walk and six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, the shortest of his seven starts this season and second against Milwaukee. His ERA jumped to 2.38 after he came in with a 1.21 ERA in his previous six starts.
Abbott won his major league debut, 2-0, against the Brewers on June 5th. In that game, he allowed one hit over six innings with four walks and six strikeouts.
VOTTO PASSES BENCH
With his sixth home run of the season, Votto now has 3,645 career total bases, one more than Johnny Bench. He is chasing Pete Rose (4,645).
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Luke Weaver (2-2, 6.72 ERA) is 4-3 with a 4.23 ERA in seven career starts and appearances against the Brewers.
Brewers: RHP Colin Rea (5-4, 4.40) is 4-0 with a 5.17 ERA in four career games, including three starts, against the Reds.
