Crew comes through in ninth for win over Reds

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Lyle Overbay's aggressive approach with the bases loaded in the ninth inning paid off for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The veteran left-handed hitter had struck out two innings earlier on a steady diet of pitches down and away in the zone. Overbay was determined not to let the Cincinnati Reds do that to him again, especially with the game on the line.

Overbay's game-ending RBI single off the first pitch from Jumbo Diaz with one out lifted Milwaukee to a 3-2 win Friday night that helped the Brewers keep pace in the National League playoff race.

The Brewers won their third straight to stay 1 1/2 games back of Pittsburgh for the second NL wild card.

"I wanted to make sure I didn't miss it," Overbay said when asked if he was looking to hit the first pitch. "The at-bat before I was a little tentative and they were pounding me low and away."

The pitch from Diaz (0-1) was down, but more in the middle of the zone. Overbay squared up and went the opposite way to the gap in left-center, allowing pinch-runner Logan Schafer to jog home with the winning run.

Overbay made the Reds pay for intentionally walking Ryan Braun and Gerardo Parra to get to him.

"We were just trying to get a ground ball, forceout at home plate and trying to get a double play," Reds catcher Brayan Pena said. "It was meant to be down, outside, but he got a pretty good swing on it and they won the game."

Teammates mobbed Overbay as he rounded first base. The crowd celebrated by putting two arms up to form a circle in the shape of an "O" for Overbay.

"That was one of the coolest things in a while, since I actually looked up and saw it," Overbay said. "That was pretty cool."

Milestone: Jonathan Lucroy had a leadoff double in the ninth for Milwaukee. It was his 44th double as a catcher this season, tying the National League record set last year by St. Louis' Yadier Molina.