The Associated Press
MILWAUKEE â€" Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run triple, helping the Milwaukee Brewers shake off their recent offensive struggles in an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Yovani Gallardo (2-3) gave up two runs in six innings and tied a season high with eight strikeouts for the Brewers, who had lost eight of their previous 11 games.
Gallardo had an RBI single in the fifth, snapping an eight-game scoreless streak by the Reds' bullpen.
Scott Rolen's double in the eighth was the 506th of his career, tying Babe Ruth for 48th on the all-time list. Cincinnati's Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer off Gallardo in the sixth, his 10th this season.
Reds starter Homer Bailey (1-3) gave up six runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He walked three, struck out four and hit a batter.
Cesar Izturis homered for the Brewers, who scored all eight of their runs with two outs.
With Ryan Braun on first base after a two-out single in the first, Bailey hit Ramirez in the left arm with a 93-mph fastball. Ramirez briefly was attended to by a trainer but remained in the game.
Bailey then walked Corey Hart to load the bases for Jonathan Lucroy, who hit a single up the middle that scored Braun and Ramirez for a 2-0 lead.
Nyjer Morgan made a sensational catch to rob Scott Rolen of a potential home run in the second, leaping near the center-field wall and coming down with the ball. Travis Ishikawa then had a big catch of his own to end the inning, diving into the seats down the first-base line to catch a foul popup.
Milwaukee came up with another two-out rally in the second, when Morgan singled, Rickie Weeks walked and Braun pounded a ground-rule double to left, scoring Morgan for a 3-0 lead. Ramirez popped out to end the inning.
Gallardo loaded the bases with two out in the fourth, but got Devin Mesoraco to pop out to second base to end the inning.
Bailey also loaded the bases with two out in his half of the fourth, and Reds manager Dusty Baker brought in reliever J.J. Hoover to face Ramirez.
The Brewers signed Ramirez as a free agent in the offseason, hoping the former Cubs slugger could take Prince Fielder's role in the cleanup spot. But coming into Tuesday's game, Ramirez was hitting .215 â€" and he made a throwing error in the fourth inning.
With the Miller Park crowd sitting in relative silence, a fan in the second deck shouted "Show us why you're here!" at Ramirez â€" and he did a few pitches later, smacking a bases-clearing triple to right stretched Milwaukee's lead to 6-0.
Gallardo singled in Lucroy in the seventh for a 7-0 lead.
NOTES: The Brewers announced contract extensions for general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ron Roenicke. Melvin's new deal goes through 2015, while Roenicke is signed through 2014 with a club option for 2015. ... Miller Park's retractable roof was open to start the game, but had to be closed in the first inning with the possibility of rain moving through the area. ... RHP Zack Greinke (3-1, 4.11 ERA) races RHP Johnny Cueto (4-0, 1.31) in the series finale Wednesday.
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May 08, 2012 11:36 PM EDT
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