Brewers come from behind to beat Reds

MILWAUKEE -- Facing Bronson Arroyo and a Cincinnati team chasing down the National League Central leaders, the Brewers managed just five hits Sunday afternoon at Miller Park, but they certainly made the most of what they got.

Sean Halton got the fifth and final of those hits on a solo home run in the ninth giving the Brewers a 6-5 victory over Cincinnati.

Halton's home run, his third of the season and the first walk-off of his career, capped an improbable comeback for Milwaukee, which had to claw out of an early hole left by starter Yovani Gallardo and overcome an offense that was all but silent against Reds' right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who allowed three hits over his 6 1/3 innings.

"This game is a strange game," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "You don't know what's going to happen."

Trailing all day, Milwaukee tied the game in the eighth.

Pinch hitter Norichika Aoki drew a leadoff walk and moved to second when Manny Parra hit pinch-hitter Khris Davis with a pitch. J.J. Hoover relieved Parra and allowed a two-run triple to Jean Segura to make it a 5-4 game.

Segura scored and tied the game at 5-5 on Jonathan Lucroy's sacrifice fly before Caleb Gindl, who had hit a solo home run earlier in the day, grounded out against Zach Duke (1-2) to end the inning.

"Going into those late innings, I looked up and we had three hits for a long time. I was a little concerned and all of a sudden a couple of good at-bats," Roenicke said.

Jim Henderson (4-5) walked two in the ninth but Carlos Gomez's leaping catch at the wall robbed Jay Bruce of a potential go-ahead home run, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth.

"That was really well-timed," Roenicke said. "He knew he had plenty of time, plenty of distance away from the wall. He's good at it, he's made a lot of them."

Gomez made a similar catch earlier this season, denying Joey Votto of a ninth-inning home run here on July 8.

"Same thing happened to us last time we came in," said Reds manager Dusty Baker. "Gomez robbed us of a potential game winning home run. I thought Jay got that ball."

Gomez went 0-for-2 at the plate Sunday but walked twice and made another important defensive play, catching Brandon Phillips at third base in the fifth inning.

"Gomez was the star of the game," Baker said. "He threw Brandon out at third, he just made a great throw."

Cincinnati wasted little time in getting to Brewers Gallardo, who came into the game 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his last five starts.

The first six batters all reached safely as the Reds took a 3-0 lead before Gallardo finally worked out of the inning. Cincinnati got another run in the third and took a 5-1 lead in the sixth on Todd Frazier's leadoff home run, capping off a 2-for-3 day that included two RBIs and a run scored.

Gallardo had settled down by then and made it through six, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

"Early on I had no clue where the ball was going," Gallardo said. "But after throwing 40 pitches or whatever it was, I think I was able to settle in a little bit and more than anything get some innings. Eat up some innings and try to save the bullpen for as long as I can."

Arroyo issued four walks -- three of those coming in the seventh. The Brewers couldn't take advantage, though, scoring just one run to make it a 5-2 game.

"That is probably as crushing of a defeat as we've had all year," Arroyo said. "I pitched great through six, had some good defensive plays to keep us in it, and I just kind of opened up a can of worms."

The loss drops the Reds 3 1/2 games behind the Pirates and Cardinals in the NL Central, but Cincinnati still holds a 4 1/2-game lead over Washington for the second and final National League wild-card berth.

NOTES: Cincinnati will reactivate RHP Johnny Cueto Monday and send him to the mound to open a three-game series at Houston. Cueto has been out since June 29 with a strained right lat muscle. Cueto has been on the DL three times this season and is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA in nine starts this season. ... Baker said Mike Leake and Greg Reynolds would round out the rotation against the Astros. ... Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez was out of the starting lineup again Sunday, still recovering after he was hit in the wrist with a Mat Latos pitch Friday night. Ramirez said he would likely be back Monday when the Brewers open a four-game series against the Cubs at Miller Park.