Elmer Dessens (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        MILWAUKEE — The 1971-era uniforms both teams wore, as well as the reduced ticket prices and concessions offered Wednesday night at Miller Park, were all part of the Milwaukee Brewers' Turn Back The Clock promotion. The Reds also reached into the past, extending their winning streak to a humongous two games by defeating the Brewers 6-3.

        Cincinnati won back-to-back games for the first time since April 27-28 at Colorado. Back then, the Reds were tied for first place, Ken Griffey Jr. was still on their active roster and Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords was a Republican.

        Though a lot has changed for the Reds since then — most of it for the worse — little else will unless they can multiply these victories. They finished their crucial stretch of 22 games against National League Central foes (in a 25-game span) with a woeful 7-15 mark. Cincinnati is 23-35 overall and in fifth place in the division.

        But the remote possibility exists that sweeping this mini-series against the Brewers, who own one of the National League's best home records (19-12), marked the start of some improvement.

RF Jeromy Burnitz can't come up with Jason LaRue's eighth-inning double | ZOOM |

        When it was suggested to manager Bob Boone that the Reds appeared to be recovering from their struggles on the road, where they had lost 10 of 14 games before coming here, he said: “We're trying to put our woes behind us. It has nothing to do with home, and it has nothing to do with the road.”

        The Reds have experienced a mild offensive revival, but not a reversal. They amassed a double-digit hit total (11) for the second con secutive game yet left nine runners on base after stranding a season-high 16 Tuesday. “We still have a little trouble getting a hit when we need it,” Boone said.

        Ruben Rivera matched a career high with four hits and drove in Cincinnati's first run, and Sean Casey, who's batting .421 (16-for-38) during an 11-game hitting streak, added three hits and scored twice. Alex Ochoa, the hero of Tuesday night's 13-inning win, delivered another big two-out hit with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

Ruben Rivera is forced out at home in the sixth inning | ZOOM |

        That sufficed for Elmer Dessens (5-2), who cemented his status as the Reds' ace. The right-hander improved to 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in his last six starts, walking only eight and striking out 33 in 37 innings during that span.

        “With our not scoring runs, he has given us a chance every time he has touched the ball,” Boone said.

        Dessens surrendered six hits in seven innings and faltered only when Tyler Houston hit a fourth-inning home run. Dessens walked just one batter and threw 71 strikes in 104 pitches.

        “His slider was "money.' He put it wherever he wanted,” catcher Jason LaRue said. “It seemed like when (the Brewers) felt like they could figure out a pattern they could fall into, he'd do something else. They'd foul off two fastballs in a row and he'd come in with a slider.”

        Danny Graves earned his 13th save after inheriting a 6-1 lead from Chris Nichting with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning. Second baseman Donnie Sadler threw wildly past first base while trying to complete a double play, giving the Brewers their last two runs. But Graves fielded Mark Loretta's bunt and threw to first base while slipping for the game-ending out.

        The Reds opened the scoring in the first inning against Brewers starter Jimmy Haynes (5-7).

        Haynes struck out the first two Reds but yielded singles to the next pair, Dmitri Young and Casey. Rivera's double to left-center on an 0-2 pitch scored Young. Casey also tried to come home but was thrown out on relays from center fielder Jeffrey Hammonds and shortstop Jose Hernandez.

        The Reds increased their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning. Casey and Rivera singled, then advanced on Bill Selby's groundout. Haynes' 2-2 pitch to LaRue was wild, scoring Casey. LaRue drew a walk before Pokey Reese hit a sacrifice fly that scored Rivera.

        Houston's seventh homer of the season, a one-out shot into the right-field stands that traveled an estimated 421 feet, reduced Cincinnati's lead to 3-1.

        The Reds recouped that run in the sixth but should have scored more after loading the bases with nobody out.

        Casey and Rivera opened the inning with singles. Haynes pounced on Selby's bunt, looked toward third base and turned to first base too late to get the out there. That filled the bases.

        LaRue's walk forced in Casey and ended Haynes' evening. But reliever Mike DeJean induced Reese's double-play grounder and struck out Dessens to avoid further trouble.

Reds 6, Brewers 3 Dessens befuddles Brewers Boone dislikes interleague play Reds load up on pitchers in draft Reds box, runs

Bengals add Gray to secondary
County approves seat settlement
XU tries to sweeten deal for Balcomb
SULLIVAN: Big-time tournaments just around the Bend?
River's Bend par-5s await Tiger test
Farm makes challenging golf course
Sixers shock Lakers in Game 1
Race fans: Leave home early
Kenseth, Skinner join Busch field
Kentucky baseball highlights
Kentucky baseball schedule
Kentucky softball schedule
Siler wins in World Amateur Boxing
Williams to fight at Cintas

• Return to Reds front page...