Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen had four hits apiece and the Cincinnati Reds roughed up Milwaukee Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo in a 12-4 win Tuesday night to move into a tie for first in the NL Central.
The top four hitters in Cincinnati's lineup _ Phillips, Orlando Cabrera, Votto and Rolen _ finished 15 for 22 with eight runs and seven RBIs as the Reds matched a season high with 19 hits.
Rolen, who returned Monday night after missing nine games with a hamstring injury, snapped an 0-for-16 slump with hits in his first four plate appearances.
Rickie Weeks homered for the third time in as many days for Milwaukee, which saw its season-best five-game winning streak snapped. The Reds trail St. Louis by percentage points in the standings.
Rookie reliever Logan Ondrusek (2-0) earned the win with 2 1-3 hitless innings after Reds starter Edinson Volquez had another trying night in his third appearance since reconstructive elbow surgery.
Gallardo (9-5) hit a two-run homer in his only at-bat, but looked uncomfortable on the mound and left when Phillips drove in a run on a two-out single in the third that made it 6-3.
It matched Gallardo's shortest start of the season when he had to leave on July 4 in St. Louis after straining his left side. Gallardo went on the disabled list after that start and pitched well in his first game back last week in Pittsburgh.
The Reds, who lead the NL in runs scored, tacked on four more against Brewers reliever Chris Capuano and two off David Riske. One thing Cincinnati was missing in this hit parade _ a homer.
Volquez smacked his glove in frustration in the second inning after Gallardo hit the eighth of his career, and Volquez failed to make it out of the fourth inning because he struggled with command. Ondrusek settled things down, allowing just one baserunner on a walk.
Weeks continued his tear with his 22nd homer, a leadoff shot to start the fourth off Volquez. Weeks has homered in seven of the last 10 games and has scored at least one run in the past 11.
Milwaukee has hit at least one homer in its last 16 games _ going 11-5 in this stretch _ but the loss killed much needed momentum for the Brewers, who still aren't sure if they'll play a role of buyers or sellers in the trade market.
Notes: Brewers RF Joe Inglett pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, hitting as high as 56 mph on the radar gun. He received a standing ovation afterward. ... Brewers RF Corey Hart (wrist, thumb) missed his fourth straight game, but says he'll be ready to return to the lineup on Friday. ... With OF Jim Edmonds (Achilles) also ailing, LHP Randy Wolf pinch hit in the third. ... Reds RHP Homer Bailey gave up three runs in four innings and took the loss in a rehab start for Class-A Dayton on Monday night. ... Brewers RHP LaTroy Hawkins (shoulder) says he'll throw a final bullpen session on Wednesday. He's expected to be activated from the 60-day disabled list before Friday's game at Houston.
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