Votto lofted a two-run home run to left center field with Shogo Akiyama, who walked on base to stake Trevor Bauer to a quick 2-0 lead. Votto's 11th home run of the season, set the tone for a 6-1 win that put the Reds a game ahead of the Brewers in the playoff race with three games left.
"I've been swinging the bat well for awhile now," Votto said. "Those things are going to come. I don't envision that changing. It has always been in the tank. Hitting is hard in the Major Leagues. I'm hitting quite a bit more than I did when I first came up 07,08,09,10. I feel like more of a threat at the plate now. I'm more aggressive at the plate now."
Bauer, a Cy Young Award contender, was pitching on short rest of three days. He was up to the task.
"I don't see how you could see it any other way," said Bauer when the award was mentioned. "I don't have anything to prove to myself. You guys can stop worrying about me and change the story line about short rest. I know I can do it."
Avisail Garcia singled to open the game but was thrown out when Tucker Barnhart threw Garcia out stealing. It required a replay reversal to record the out but it seemed to give Bauer a boost. Bauer retired the next 11 Brewer batters, five by strike out.
Jesse Winker's 12th home run of the season, a line drive off a ad above the Milwaukee bullpen, gave the Reds a 3-0 margin.
The Brewers didn't get another baserunner until big Daniel Vogelbach drew a walk opening the fifth. Keston Hiura hit a long ball down the left field foul line. The ball was inches foul, confirmed by review. Bauer used the reprieve to strike out Hiura. Jace Peterson grounded to Votto at first base but Orlando Arcia doubled to plate Vogelbach.
The Reds used an error to add on. On Tuesday, Nick Castellanos homered with a man on in the first also but the Brewers came back for a 3-2 win over the home team.
Castellanos reached base on a throwing error by Hiura. Brewers' manager Craig Counsell brought in lefty Alex Claudio to face Votto. Votto drew a four-pitch walk. The new three batter minimum came into effect. With right hander Eric Yardley warm, Eugenio Suarez came to the plate. Claudio had to face Suarez in a mismatch which proved fatal to Milwaukee's cause. Suarez lined a 2-1 pitch into the left field stands to put the Reds ahead 6-1.
Suarez put Bauer in a hole, however, in the top of the sixth. He threw too high to Votto on Jacob Nottingham's routine ground ball. Votto had to leap to spear the throw and couldn't come down on the base in time to record the out. Garcia's second single sent Nottingham to third beating Akiyama's throw. Reds' manager David Bell visited Bauer but left him in to face Christian Yelich, who has a monster 2019 but was hitting just 214 but with 11 home runs. Bauer struck him out swinging. He followed with strikeouts of Jedd Gyorko and Vogelbach to escape.
"I went out there to check on him," Bell said. "He just loves to compete. He loves being out there.' That's infectious and impressive."
"I just got a little shot of adrenaline," Bauer said.
Bauer went out for the eighth inning. He held his leg and it prompted a visit from Reds' trainer Steve Bauman but he remained in to add a scoreless inning.
"It was a cramp. I get them every game. Usually, I get them right after the game," Bauer said.
Bauer pitched eight innings on the short rest, allowing one run on four hits, one walk and struck out 12. He threw 104 pitches, 69 strikes.
Wade Miley, who has been hurt on and off all season, came in to mop up in the ninth inning. Miley gave up an infield hit in a scoreless inning.
The Reds stayed a game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for the seventh seed in the playoffs.
"I tried to keep track of the standings but it is too confusing, if we when and they win and they win. There is a point, maybe Sunday when we know where we're going," Votto said.
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