Cameron homers, Gallardo wins his fifth and Brewers sweep Reds with 5-2 victory

Brewers sweep Reds with 5-2 victory

MILWAUKEE — Mike Cameron homered and Yovani Gallardo won his fifth game as the Milwaukee Brewers swept the three-game series from the Cincinnati Reds with a 5-2 win on Sunday.

It wasn’t quite the gem Gallardo (5-2) threw on Monday against St. Louis when the right-hander had a no-hitter going into the sixth and finished allowing two hits in eight shutout innings, but he was good enough against Cincinnati.

He lasted 5 1-3 innings, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and, except for Brandon Phillips’ solo homer, allowed seven harmless hits. Gallardo struck out nine and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second.

The Brewers swept a three-game series from the Reds at Miller Park for the first time since July 3-5, 2006.

Gallardo had plenty of early run support when the Brewers touched Reds starter Micah Ownings (3-4) for two runs in the first, one in the second and two more in the third.

In the first, JJ Hardy walked, took third on Ryan Braun’s hit-and-run single and scored on Cameron’s single. Braun came home on Mat Gamel’s single. Hardy’ sacrifice fly in the second and Cameron’s 11th homer of the season after a walk to Prince Fielder in third pushed the lead to 5-1.

Owings retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth, but the damage had already been done. He went 5 2-3 innings, allowed eight hits, walked three and had five strikeouts.

Mitch Stetter took over for Gallardo in the sixth with runners at the corners and one out and pitched scoreless relief. Mark DeFelice relieved Stetter in the seventh and blanked Cincinnati. Trevor Hoffman pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 13 chances.

Cameron’s first error of the season set up the Reds’ run in the third.

Hairston hit a fly to the warning track in left-center field. Playing center, Cameron made a long run and called for it as Braun, the leftfielder, just ducked out of his way. Cameron had the ball briefly, then dropped it. Jay Bruce’s single drove in Hairston.

Phillips, who was hit by a pitch and singled, hit his ninth home run of the season in the fifth to trim the Brewers’ lead to 5-2

Cincinnati had to wait for Gallardo to start the top of the third.

Homeplate umpire Jim Wolf told him, after he had just finished warming up, to put a sleeve over the large white bandage on his left elbow. Gallardo skinned it in a collision with fellow pitcher Dave Bush two days ago chasing fly balls during batting practice.