Small sample size aside, it would appear as though the Milwaukee Brewers' offense is finally back on track.
Scoring runs in a variety of ways and again getting some timely hitting in key situations, the Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-4, Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
Domingo Santana's three-run home run in the fifth was the big blow, and Neil Walker had a pair of singles in his Brewers debut as Milwaukee earned a series victory over its Central Division foe.
Milwaukee's bats got well in the three games against Cincinnati pitching, putting up 23 runs, 36 hits and seven homers after more than three weeks of listless performance at the plate.
The Brewers put up a three-spot in the first inning against right-hander Sal Romano, doing what they've done best all season.
Jonathan Villar led off with a walk and scored on a Ryan Braun double, then Braun scored when Walker singled to right and Jesse Winker didn't come up with the ball cleanly.
Manny Pina followed with a two-out double to left to score Walker and make it 3-0.
It marked the 29th time the Brewers scored two or more runs in the first inning this season, tops in the major leagues and most by the team since 2011 (32 times).
The Reds pulled to within 3-2 in the third on Adam Duvall's two-run homer to right off Matt Garza, who was coming in on the heels of his worst start of the season _ a 3 1/3-inning, eight-hit, eight-run loss Tuesday at Minnesota.
Garza kept the damage at two runs, however, and got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Eric Sogard tripled into the right-field corner with one out, then Hernan Perez was somehow able to drop down a squeeze bunt with the pitch coming at his head to up the lead to 4-2.
Milwaukee gave itself some breathing room in the fifth. Villar inside-outed a double down the third-base line to open and Eric Thames walked. With two outs Santana lifted a three-run homer out to right-center to stretch the advantage to 7-2.
It was Santana's 19th homer through 114 games this season; he had 19 for his career in 135 games coming in.
The Reds answered with a pair of runs in the sixth, with one scoring on a Garza wild pitch and subsequent error by Pina and the other coming in on a Tucket Barnhart RBI single. Jeremy Jeffress took over for Garza from there, and finished out the inning with no further damage.
In his 96-pitch day, Garza (6-6) allowed five hits, four runs (three earned) and a season-high five walks with a hit batter. He also struck out a pair.
Jacob Barnes pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, and Corey Knebel closed out the game for his 22nd save.
