Brewers take opener from Reds

CINCINNATI -- Like any good pitcher, even after a great outing, Tomo Ohka was somewhat critical of himself.
The right-hander didn't have a lot of critiquing to do of his pitching. Ohka went seven innings and gave up just one run Monday in the Brewers' 6-1 win against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Instead, Ohka mentioned his need to improve at the plate.
"My swing is not so good," Ohka said with a laugh.
Ohka knows this because he struck out three times, once with the bases loaded.
But Ohka didn't have to be good at the plate on this night.
Instead, he did everything he had to with his arm, helping the Brewers through a night in which the offense wasn't very productive until the last two innings.
"That's about as good as it gets right there," manager Ned Yost said. "[Ohka] was lights-out. He got one pitch out over the plate to [Adam] Dunn, and besides that, he was phenomenal. He was just outstanding."
And against a great offensive team, too.
Ohka was able to shut down the Reds for the first time this season. He entered Monday's game with an 0-2 record and a 7.30 ERA against the Reds in 2005.
But Ohka made just one mistake against the Reds on this night -- a fastball over the middle of the plate to Dunn that the big left-hander lifted for a home run.
After that, it was all Ohka, the bullpen and, eventually, the offense, too.
Ohka didn't see much support until he'd stepped off the mound for the last time Monday night.
The Brewers left runners in scoring position four times, and pushed just one across home plate through the first seven innings.
One big reason was Reds starter Brandon Claussen, who looked just as good as Ohka in his seven innings.
"We did have some opportunities," Yost said. "But, again, Claussen was every bit as good as Tomo was. There wasn't much up there to take advantage of, pitch-wise. He didn't make mistakes."
No, he didn't. The Reds' bullpen, however, did. And the Brewers' offense made sure to take full advantage.
Geoff Jenkins led the charge with his second five-hit game of the season.
Playing with an ailing lower back, Jenkins looked great at the plate, knocking in the Brewers' first run of the game in the fourth inning. Jenkins also sparked the rally that won the game in the eighth.
"It doesn't hurt him to swing," Yost said. "It just bothers him a little bit to run. Obviously, it doesn't hurt him to swing."
Jenkins said after the game, though, his back felt as bad as it has this season. But he has no intention of sitting out any of the remainder of the season.
"Hitting and throwing is fine," Jenkins said. "It's just the running that bothers me. It's not something that can get worse; it's just a sensitive area with a lot of nerve endings. So that's what's giving me the trouble. I'm just trying to battle through it."
On Monday night, that's exactly what he did.
After Jenkins' single in the eighth, Wes Helms and Damian Miller reached to load the bases. J.J. Hardy then singled in Jenkins for the eventual game-winning run.
After that, the Brewers were just providing insurance.
Jeff Cirillo's pinch-hit single gave the Brewers a two-run cushion in the eighth. In the ninth, Carlos Lee and Jenkins drove in two more, and a wild by pitch by Reds reliever Allan Simpson led to another run.
Ohka, out of the game at that point, finally had run support and, eventually, the win.
Still, postgame, people couldn't stop talking about Ohka's swing.
"He's really bad, actually," Jenkins joked. "He and Ben Sheets, the worst possible swings. I don't even know how you're born with something like that."
Not that Jenkins really minded.
"He was throwing the ball well," Jenkins said earnestly.
Well enough to give his offense time to get back on track for the win.

Source: http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/