The Brewers probably wish they still had Jimmy Haynes. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        MILWAUKEE — Jimmy Haynes returned to his old place of work Wednesday night and faced his old team, the Milwaukee Brewers. Afterward, the Brewers had to be wondering why they didn't try harder to sign him for baseball's equivalent of minimum wage — $500,000 — like the Reds did.

        Haynes (3-4) pitched 6 1/3 solid innings to beat the Brewers 7-4 before 15,561 at Miller Park. Haynes allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked three and struck out three.

        “I guess it's a little special coming out and beating your old team,” Haynes said. “I try to come out every time and do good. Tonight was a big game. I wanted to keep the winning streak going. You feel good anytime you come out with a win.”

        The Reds offense got fat on Brewer pitching again. Todd Walker led the hit brigade, equaling his career-high with four hits, including two doubles and a triple. Austin Kearns and Reggie Taylor had three hits, which was a career-high for Taylor.

Barry Larkin leaps over Alex Sanchez to turn a double play. | ZOOM |

        Luis Pineda and Danny Graves combined for 2 2/3innings of one-hit relief to close it out. Graves pitched the ninth to earn his 13th save this season and second in two nights.

        The Brewers, owners of the National League's worst record, are desperate for starting pitching, and Haynes is a pretty reliable starter right now. Wednesday was his eighth start of the year, and in five of them, he has given up two or fewer earned runs. That would make him Milwaukee's No.1 starter.

        “After they non-tendered me, they tried to sign me to a minor-league deal,” he said. “But I thought the opportunity was better with the Reds.”

        The Reds' victory, coupled with Pittsburgh's 6-2 loss to Arizona, increased Cincinnati's lead in the National League Central to 4 1/2games. That is the Reds' biggest lead of the year and ties them with the Seattle Mariners for the biggest lead in the majors.

Ex-Reds Jeffrey Hammonds reacts after hitting into a double play. | ZOOM |

        The Reds have won three consecutive games and are 6-0 vs. the Brewers.

        The Reds jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first against Milwaukee right-hander Everett Stull, who was making his fourth appearance and first start in the big leagues. Walker opened the game with a double down the left-field line , and Larkin scored him with an RBI double. Walker.

        Casey got Larkin home with a single to the wall in left-center. That's right — a single to the wall. Casey, who is still nursing a sore hamstring, took a wide turn, slowed and then tried to go to second. His hamstring wouldn't cooperate, and he was caught in a rundown for the first out.

        The Reds cashed in an opportunity in the fifth — just barely. Larkin led off with a high fly ball to left-center that was maybe a foot short of a home run. Casey followed with another long single, and Kearns doubled into the left-field corner. Dunn was intentionally walked before Aaron Boone walked on five pitches to force in a run.

Danny Graves celebrates with Jason LaRue and Sean Casey after getting the last out. | ZOOM |

        Stull avoided disaster when Jason LaRue was called out on strikes and Taylor popped up.

        The Brewers put Haynes into a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the fifth, but he escaped with minimal damage.

        Eric Young lofted a sacrifice fly to center, but Haynes got what he needed — a 4-6-3 double-play ball from Jeffrey Hammonds.

        The Reds broke the game open in the sixth. Walker started the rally with a triple and the Brewers intentionally walked Larkin.

        Casey got Walker in with a sacrifice fly to left. Kearns singled, and Dunn's double scored Larkin and Kearns, making it 6-1.

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