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  Tuesday, Sep. 26 8:05pm ET
Burnitz: 30 HRs for 3 straight years
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Jeromy Burnitz is starting to satisfy his toughest critic.

Burnitz
Burnitz

Himself.

Burnitz homered and doubled, and Jamey Wright won for the first time in two months as the Milwaukee Brewers began their final series at County Stadium by beating the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Tuesday night.

Burnitz hit his 30th home run in the second inning, joining Gorman Thomas (1978-80) as the only Brewers to reach 30 homers in three straight seasons.

"Thirty's a good number," Burnitz said. "I'm definitely proud to be one of those guys. But it's been a rough year offensively for me. I've been hard on myself because of the fact that for two years I've put up some pretty decent numbers and this year I'm off that pace. I feel like I haven't done the job I'm capable of."

Burnitz hit 38 homers with 125 RBI in 1998, and had 33 homers with 103 RBI last season. Despite hitting just .232 this season, Burnitz also has driven in a team-high 96 runs. "I didn't say it was horrible, I just said I'm capable of better," Burnitz said. "I'm not saying that because I haven't done it before."

Wright (7-8) allowed four runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in 7 3 innings to win for the first time in 11 starts since July 28.

"He pitched a quality game," Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. "Jamey's pitched better games, but we'll take that victory and I'm sure he will. He's had other outings where he's pitched better and didn't get a decision. Sometimes these things balance out."

Curtis Leskanic got four outs for his 12th save in 13 chances.

Milwaukee is to close out its County Stadium era Thursday in the final of the three-game series against the Reds, then finish the season at Houston.

The Brewers, who moved into County Stadium in 1970 after leaving Seattle, will play next season in Miller Park.

Steve Parris (12-16) was tagged for five runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings, losing his second straight after a seven-game winning streak.

"They just jumped on Parris. He had an off night," Reds manager Jack McKeon said. "When you're behind batters, you're going to get hurt. He got behind and he got hurt."

Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the first when Mark Loretta doubled and Geoff Jenkins followed with an RBI single.

After Burnitz's homer, Chris Stynes pulled the Reds to 2-1 in the fifth with his 12th home run.

Milwaukee scored three runs in the bottom half on Richie Sexson's two-run double and Burnitz's RBI double. The Brewers made it 7-1 in the sixth on doubles by Raul Casanova and Marquis Grissom, and a two-base error by right fielder Alex Ochoa, who misplayed Loretta's fly ball.

Sean Casey hit a two-run homer in the seventh, and Chris Sexton added a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

"When you get down 7-1, the odds aren't good that you're going to get enough big hits," McKeon said.

Game notes
Milwaukee improved to 7-1 on its final County Stadium homestand. ... Casanova stopped an 0-for-16 skid with a second-inning single. ... Sexson has 45 RBIs in 53 games since being acquired from Cleveland. ... Parris' outing was his shortest start since going 4 2-3 inning at Detroit on July 16. ... Dmitri Young's double in the seventh was his team-high 37th. ... Wright hit Ochoa in the second, his major league-leading 18th hit batter. ... Brewers reliever Ray King pitched a scoreless third of an inning, giving him 20 1-3 innings without allowing an earned run. ... Milwaukee's six doubles were one short of the team's season high, set against the Dodgers on Aug. 6.

 


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