Jay Bruce Bust Slump To Bury Brewers

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Jay Bruce picked the perfect time to break his career-high slump.

Bruce followed a walk to Brandon Phillips with a majestic two-run home run that snapped an 0-for-26 slump off left-hander Will Smith, giving the Reds and Mat Latos a 4-2 win that gave the Reds the series win.

It was Bruce's eighth home run of the season and came on a 1-2 pitch. Bruce has 48 home runs off left-handed pitchers over the last five seasons, the most in the Major Leagues.

"Honestly, I was happy we didn't have to play extra innings," Bruce said.  "I didn't know about the 0-for-23 until last night. It didn't seem like it had been that long. I knew I wasn't going to go the rest of my career like that.  I've been making good contact."

The Reds got two runs in the first inning and Mat Latos made them stand up until the eighth inning.

Bruce drove home a run and scored one in spite of extending his hitless string to 0-for-26.

"The one thing I've noticed is that he runs hard out of the box every time.  That's what you need. You need that palpable effort that shows guys are all in."

Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips singled with one out against Yovani Gallardo, putting runners on the corner.  Bruce grounded to deep second but beat the relay to allow Frazier to score.  Ryan Ludwick was hit by a pitch. Devin Mesoraco hit the first of his three singles to score Bruce but Ludwick was thrown out at third.

"That;s just baseball," Bruce said.  "For me there is no there. It is just here.  The only thing you can do something with is the next pitch."

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The Reds appeared to score a third run when Ramon Santiago's fly to deep right fell on the warning track.  As Logan Schafer argued fan interference, Santiago circled the bases but an Umpire Crew Chief by Jerry Meals showed fan interference.  Santiago was ruled out

Latos, who allowed just one hit to the San Diego Padres in his last start, a 1-0 loss, retired the first 10 batters.  Latos walked Jean Segura but closed out the Brewers. 

Aramis Ramirez singled to the gap in leftcenter but Billy Hamilton got to it quickly and threw Ramirez out at second.

Lagan Schafer led off the sixth inning with a triple and scored on Scooter Gennett's ground out to Phillips.

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The lead vanished in the eighth.

Schafer doubled. Ricky Weeks hit for Gallardo and singled Schafer home to tie the game, 2-2.

Jonathan Broxton retired Jean Segura, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez in order to claim his sixth save. Broxton has allowed just two runs in 28 innings.

"It was a big win," Price said. "It's important that we shorten the lead."