MILWAUKEE (AP) — José Barrero hit his first two major league home runs and the Cincinnati Reds beat Milwaukee 7-5 on Saturday night, dropping the Brewers into second place in the NL Central.

Joey Votto and Donovan Solano each had a solo homer for the Reds, who hadn’t scored more than three runs since an 8-2 win July 30 over Baltimore.

Milwaukee fell a game behind the St. Louis Cardinals, who blanked the New York Yankees 1-0 for their sixth consecutive victory.

With the Reds leading 2-0 in the fourth inning, Barrero launched a two-run homer into the Brewers’ bullpen off starter Aaron Ashby (2-10).

The third-year shortstop added a solo shot into the Milwaukee bullpen in the sixth off reliever Hoby Milner, extending Cincinnati’s lead to 5-3.

The homers came in the 125th and 126th at-bats of Barrero’s career. They were the first two hits this season for Barrero, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday.

Milwaukee scored twice off reliever Hunter Strickland in the ninth to make it 7-5, but squandered two good chances when the game was closer.

Trailing 4-3 in the fifth, the Brewers loaded the bases with one out against rookie starter Nick Lodolo. The left-hander struck out Mike Brosseau before righty Buck Farmer (1-1) retired Hunter Renfroe to end the inning.

Down 5-3 in the sixth, Milwaukee had two runners on with two outs when right fielder Aristides Aquino threw out Victor Caratini at the plate on Christian Yelich’s single.

Andrew McCutchen hit a solo homer and Keston Hiura had a two-run shot for Milwaukee in the fourth.

McCutchen also had a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Rookie RHP Hunter Greene (right shoulder strain) had an MRI but won’t need surgery, manager David Bell said.

Brewers: RHP Adrian Houser (right flexor strain), on the 15-day injured list since July 1, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville.

UP NEXT

Reds rookie RHP Graham Ashcraft (5-2, 4.12 ERA) faces Brewers RHP Corbin Burnes (8-5, 2.49) on Sunday to complete the three-game series. Ashcraft did not permit an earned run over 8 1/3 innings in his last start, a win at Miami. Burnes, an All-Star and the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up four runs and walked five over 5 1/3 innings in his last start, a loss at Pittsburgh.

Cincinnati						Milwaukee
	ab	r	h	bi			ab	r	h	bi
India 2b	4	0	1	1		Yelich dh	4	1	3	0
Senzel cf	5	0	0	0		Adames ss	5	0	1	1
K.Farmer 3b	3	0	0	0		McCutchen lf	2	1	1	2
Votto 1b	3	1	1	1		Brosseau 3b	5	0	0	0
Solano dh	4	1	2	1		Renfroe rf	2	1	0	0
Aquino rf	4	1	1	0		Hiura 1b	2	1	1	2
Almora Jr. lf	3	2	1	1		Tellez ph-1b	2	0	1	0
Barrero ss	4	2	2	3		Urías 2b	4	0	0	0
Romine c	4	0	0	0		Caratini c	4	0	1	0
						Taylor cf	2	0	0	0
						Wong ph	1	1	1	0
Totals	34	7	8	7		Totals	33	5	9	5

Cincinnati	020	201	101	=	7
Milwaukee	000	300	002	=	5

E–Brosseau (6). DP–Cincinnati 0, Milwaukee 2. LOB–Cincinnati 8, Milwaukee 8. 2B–Almora Jr. (9), India (11), Caratini (6), Yelich (18). HR–Barrero 2 (2), Votto (11), Solano (3), McCutchen (11), Hiura (9). SB–K.Farmer (4). SF–McCutchen (4).

	IP		H	R	ER	BB	SO

Cincinnati
Lodolo	4	2-3	4	3	3	4	4
B.Farmer W,1-1	1		1	0	0	1	0
Sanmartin H,5		1-3	1	0	0	0	0
Kuhnel H,4	1		0	0	0	0	1
Díaz H,12	1		1	0	0	0	1
Strickland	1		2	2	2	0	0

Milwaukee
Ashby L,2-10	4	2-3	3	4	4	5	5
Milner	1	1-3	1	1	1	0	0
McGee	1		3	1	1	0	1
Suter	2		1	1	1	2	2

B.Farmer pitched to 4 batters in the 6th.

HBP–Ashby (K.Farmer), Lodolo (Yelich).

Umpires–Home, Angel Hernandez; First, James Hoye; Second, Jim Wolf; Third, D.J. Reyburn.

T–3:30. A–35,784 (41,900).