MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Matt Clark hit a three-run homer in Milwaukee's five-run seventh inning, and the Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-2 on Sunday.
Mark Reynolds added a solo shot in the eighth as the Brewers won for the fourth time in five games. Matt Garza (8-8) allowed one run and four hits in six-plus innings.
Milwaukee remained 1 1/2 games back of Pittsburgh for the second wild card in the NL.
Todd Frazier hit his 26th homer in the sixth for Cincinnati, which has lost five of its last six games against Milwaukee. Mike Leake (11-12) gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings.
Milwaukee also got a solid performance from Jonathan Lucroy, who reached four times via three hits and a walk. The All-Star catcher had a two-run single in the fourth to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead.
It was 3-1 when Milwaukee put the game away in the seventh. Clark connected for his third homer against Logan Ondrusek. Scooter Gennett had an RBI single and Ryan Braun's bases-loaded walk against Carlos Contreras made it 8-1.
Garza struck out six and walked three. He is 2-0 with a sparkling 0.82 ERA in three starts against Cincinnati this year.
The Reds added a run in the ninth on Ryan Ludwick's single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: 3B Aramis Ramirez, who has nagging hamstring tightness, had the day off. "It's holding up, but not good," manager Ron Roenicke said.
Reds: 1B Joey Votto, on the disabled list since July with a quad strain, took underhand flips at batting practice. "It's day to day. It's just a progression," manager Bryan Price said. No timetable has been set for Votto's return.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Wily Peralta (16-10, 3.75 ERA) will take on the Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series in St. Louis on Tuesday. In four previous starts against the Cards this season, Peralta has gone 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA. The start will be Peralta's 30th of the season.
Reds: Alfredo Simon (14-10, 3.48 ERA) will face the Cubs in Chicago on Monday. Simon, who began the season as the fifth starter, has established career highs in starts, wins, losses, strikeouts, quality starts and innings pitched. However, he's struggled since the All-Star break, going 2-7 with a 4.96 ERA.
