Votto, Choo Helps Reds Defeat Brewers 7-3.

After laying an egg on the offensive side Friday night, the Reds’ bats woke up Saturday to rack up  seven runs on 10 hits, with two home runs.

Shin-Soo Choo started the game off early and Joey Votto drove in late as Homer Bailey (11-10) held off the Brewers for a 7-3 victory, to even the three-game set, and helping the Reds gain a half-game on the Cardinals and Pirates, who each play tonight.

Choo’s two-run home run in the second inning gave the Reds a 4-0 lead and Votto’s two-run blast off the very top of the right-field foul pole estimated at 470 feet in the sixth inning. Bailey worked around a Brewers’ three run fourth to pick up his 11th win of the year and sixth win in his last nine starts.

Choo led off the game with a double against Brewers starter Johnny Hellweg and after Brandon Phillips bunted him to third, he scored on a Votto sacrifice fly. In the second inning, Choo launched his 21st home run of the season to center field to give Bailey and Reds a 4-0 cushion.

The Brewers stormed back with three consecutive hits to start the fourth inning, and after

sacrifice fly, the Reds’ lead was trimmed to 4-3. But Bailey stranded a runner on first in the inning, and he left after seven, allowing three earned runs on five hits, while walking four and striking out three, while throwing 109 pitches.

Votto extended the Reds’ lead to 6-3 with his 23rd home run off a Brewers reliever

in the sixth inning. Votto turned on a  fastball and watched it from the batter’s box leaning his body in hopes it would stay fair  until it hit the top of the right-field foul pole.

At an estimated 470 feet, Votto’s blast is tied for fourth longest all time at Miller Park.

Choo added a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to finish with three RBI’s in the game. Choo also scored three runs as well.

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman came on with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning and struck out Jonathan Lucroy. The last time the two met at Miller Park, Lucroy launched a two-run walk-off home run off Chapman on Aug. 16. He got a lead off strikeout to begin the bottom of ninth, then walked two straight batters but was able to strike out the next two batters to end the game and get his 36th save of the season.

Tomorrow afternoon series finale pitching match up will be Bronson Arroyo for the Reds and Yovani Gallardo for the Brewers who has pitched well against Cincinnati this season. First pitch is at 2:10pm.