CINCINNATI _ It took the Milwaukee Brewers a bit longer to get going in this one but their perfect road record remained intact.
Scoring 10 unanswered runs to erase an early three-run deficit, the Brewers pulled away to a 10-4 victory Friday night over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Beyond giving the Brewers a 4-0 record on this nine-game trip, the triumph had this statistical significance: They moved above .500 (6-5) for the first time since ending the 2014 season with an 82-80 record.
Great American is known as a home run ballpark and that factor worked against Brewers starter Tommy Milone in the early going. After Eugenio Suarez singled with one down in the second inning, Zack Cozart knocked a 0-1 fastball out to left to put the Reds on top, 2-0.
Joey Votto, a home run threat in any ballpark, made it a three-run game in the third when he smashed a first-pitch fastball from Milone out to center. It was the third home run for Votto, who otherwise is off to a slow start at the plate.
The Brewers finally countered against Reds starter Scott Feldman in the fourth, and just like that the offense was back in business. Catcher Manny Pina, who is off to an impressive start in his first chance at regular playing time, got it going with a two-run, opposite-field double with one out.
Feldman gave the Brewers a chance for more damage in the fifth by walking the bases loaded but escaped when Domingo Santana grounded into a double play. Cincinnati manager Bryan Price then summoned what had been an improved bullpen in the sixth, with disastrous results.
Pinch-hitter Jesus Aguilar tied the game with a RBI groundout, touching off a four-run rally that put the Brewers on top to stay. Jonathan Villar followed with a RBI double, and when the Reds brought in lefty Wandy Peralta to face the left-handed-hitting Eric Thames, he responded with a two-run homer.
The carnage continued with four more runs in the seventh. Orlando Arcia, who is starting to get better swings, singled in a run, pinch-hitter Nick Franklin tripled in two more and Thames capped the rally by beating the infield shift with a run-scoring single through the left side.
Just like that, the game had completely turned.
