MILWAUKEE _ There's just something about the Cincinnati Reds that brings out the best in Ryan Braun.
The Milwaukee Brewers left fielder homered twice and drove in six runs, almost single-handedly powering the Milwaukee Brewers' offense in an eventual 7-3 victory over the Reds on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
All of Braun's damage came in the first four innings as the Brewers gave Wily Peralta a quick 6-0 lead with which to work. Braun has homered 35 times against Cincinnati, more than any other player in the major leagues since his debut season in 2007.
It was also Braun's 25th career multiple-homer game, his fourth this season and second in his last eight games.
Braun became just the third player in franchise history to record two 6-RBI games in a season, joining Jonathan Lucroy (2012) and Geoff Jenkins (2001). Braun tied a franchise mark with seven RBI in his previous two-homer game on Aug. 6 in Arizona.
The Brewers were as productive as a team could be in the first inning with minimal swings of the bat.
Taking advantage of rookie Cody Reed's lack of command and backup catcher Ramon Cabrera, they sent all nine batters to the plate and took a 3-0 lead despite registering just two hits.
The big blow was a two-RBI double by Braun. The Brewers added their third run later in the frame when Jake Elmore was hit in the foot by a Reed pitch with the bases loaded.
All told, the Brewers stole four bases and drew three walks in addition to Elmore's plunking as Reed was forced to throw 46 pitches.
Reed lasted only three more batters. Keon Broxton greeted him with a leadoff double in the second, Orlando Arcia bunted for a single to put runners on the corners and Braun followed with a mammoth 450-foot blast off the scoreboard in center to double Milwaukee's lead at 6-0.
Braun's second homer of the day came in the fourth, a laser beam just over the wall in left that upped the score to 7-0. Braun upped his season total to 22, and he has 65 RBIs, one fewer than team leader Chris Carter.
Peralta (5-8) mostly sailed through his outing, allowing four hits, one run (earned) and a walk while striking out five over 100 pitches. He topped out as high as 99 mph on the radar gun in the second inning, and the Reds scored their lone run against him on a Joey Votto bloop double in the sixth.
It was the second consecutive solid start turned in Peralta since his recall from Class AAA Colorado Springs on Aug. 8, and his first victory with the Brewers since June 11.
Cincinnati got a two-out, two-run homer from Votto off Carlos Torres in the eighth to cap the scoring.
Milwaukee is off Monday before opening a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field with a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday.
