Ravens will look to take the struggling Browns

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Brandon Phillips grabbed the bouncing ball with his bare hand, tagged second base with his left knee as he fell and threw to first to complete a double play that immediately drew raves. Might have saved the game, too. Phillips homered and made the spectacular play to protect the lead in the seventh inning Friday night, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He drove in a pair of runs with a single and a homer, but it was that unusual play on Ryan Brauns hard-to-handle grounder up the middle with two runners aboard in the seventh that had everyone talking -- and the Brewers talking to themselves. "Phillips -- weve seen him make some great plays," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I didnt think Braun was going to hit into a double play, and Phillips makes another highlight play." Phillips had an RBI single off Yovani Gallardo (3-2) and added a solo homer in the seventh after making a saving play in the top of the inning on Brauns grounder. "I made a nice play, I dont know how," Phillips said. "I gambled on it. I took a chance on making it without my glove, and I made the play. "I practice the short hops, but Ive never had a bag to worry about. Ive touched the bag with my knees plenty of times." This time, he may have changed the outcome of a game with one knee. "Thats the best double play Ive seen from a second baseman," manager Dusty Baker said. "That was a game-saver, too. If he doesnt turn it, we could be in trouble. They had some dangerous guys coming up." The Reds won for the fifth time in seven games. Cincinnati is 14-6 at Great American Ball Park, the most home wins in the majors and its best start at home since the Reds went 15-5 in 1994. Milwaukee got solo homers from Jean Segura and Braun, but lost for the seventh time in eight games. Alfredo Simon (3-1) threw two innings in relief of rookie left-hander Tony Cingrani. Aroldis Chapman gave up a run on a wild pitch in the ninth while getting his eighth save in as many chances. Carlos Gomez went 0 for 4 and grounded into a double play, ending his hitting streak at a career-best 14 games. Neither Gallardo nor Cingrani lasted more than four innings on a wet night, testing both bullpens depth. Both were stingy, but Cincinnatis had a one-run lead to hold. Reds relievers allowed three hits and four walks in five innings. The Brewers gave up eight hits and nine walks. The Reds pulled ahead 2-0 in the third on Phillips two-out RBI single and Jay Bruces double off the glove of Norichika Aoki in right field. Bruce improved to .419 against Gallardo. Zack Cozarts RBI single in the fourth put the Reds up 3-2. Gallardo gave up five hits and five walks in his four innings, throwing 100 pitches. "Normally I try to take something positive out of every one I have, but theres nothing to take out of this one," Gallardo said. Cingrani has relied on his fastball to retire batters, getting a lot of strikeouts while piling up high pitch counts. Hes also given up a lot of homers -- six in five starts, tied with Bronson Arroyo for the team lead. Segura led off the fourth with a homer that barely eluded the top of Bruces glove in right field and bounced off the top of the wall before continuing into the stands. Braun also homered to right field on the next pitch, giving him eight overall and a season-high 11-game hitting streak. Cingrani lasted only four innings, giving up five hits and two walks while throwing 85 pitches. It was the third time in the Reds last four games that their starter lasted five innings or less. The Reds activated catcher Ryan Hanigan off the disabled list before the series opener. Hanigan, the Reds best defensive catcher, had been sidelined since April 21 by a strained left oblique. Hanigan had a pair of singles and made a diving catch behind the plate on Seguras sacrifice bunt attempt. NOTES: Steady rain fell through the early innings. .... The Reds designated C Corky Miller for assignment, opening a roster spot. ... OF Chris Heisey is expected to start a rehab assignment soon. Hes been sidelined since April 29 by a pulled right hamstring. ... Cingrani picked Aoki off first base in the third inning. Aoki reached in all five plate appearances. ... RH Hiram Burgos (1-0) starts Saturday against the Reds, who go with Mat Latos (3-0). Cheap Lakers Jerseys . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Fake Lakers Jerseys . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Los Angeles Lakers Pro Shop . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Los Angeles Lakers Store . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. The Baltimore Ravens have an opportunity to take further control of the AFC North with a victory over the winless Cleveland Browns on Thursday night.The Ravens (4-4) sit atop the division after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-14 in Week 9, which also snapped a four-game losing streak. Despite the Browns 0-9 record, Ravens coach John Harbaugh is expecting another hard-fought game.We understand that this is a quality football team that were dealing with, Harbaugh said. Games are lost for different kinds of reasons. Usually, its a play here and a play there, and some of those plays havent gone their way. It can go that way. Weve been in the same situation. We lost four in a row. It just was like that. That can happen. ... Our guys understand the rivalry that we have with Cleveland.While the Ravens look to retain some momentum, the Browns are trying to avoid the first 0-10 start in the 66-year history of the franchise. Cleveland was completely dominated in a 35-10 loss to Dallas in Week 9. The Browns have allowed at least 25 points in each of its nine losses.We got to take the punches, Cleveland linebacker Chris Kirksey said. Get back up and keep fighting. Thats life. Were not going 0-16. Were not going to go winless. Were going to win a game.One of the keys for the Ravens is getting several injured starters back in the lineup. The bye in Week 8 could not have come at a better time.Ravens rookie left tackle Ronnie Stanley (foot) returned to action against Pittsburgh after missing the past four games. Stanley did show some rust and was penalized four times. Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda (shoulder) also was back in the lineup after missing the past two games.While the Ravens allowed three sacks, the offensive did appear more in sync.Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith (ankle) also returned after missing the prior two matchups. He finished with four receptions for 47 yards, including a 30-yard catch and run in the first quarter that provided a boost to the struggling offense. Linebackers CJ Mosley (thigh) and Terrell Suggs (biceps) started and made an immediate impact.Its all in how you finish, Suggs said. If you miss the playoffs, who cares where your defense ranked. This is about winning games, going to the playoffs, winning division championships, winnning championships.dddddddddddd At the end of the year, you can 1/8say 3/8 oh, they had a top-10 defense, whatever, but if you dont win, it doesnt matter. Winning is the only thing that matters, the only thing.The Ravens won the first matchup this season, 25-20, after trailing 20-0 in the first quarter. That was the second biggest comeback in franchise history. This time, Ravens will look to take the struggling Browns out of the game early.Browns rookie quarterback Cody Kessler returned from a concussion and made the start against Dallas. He completed 19 of 27 pass attempts for 203 yards with a touchdown. However, he was sacked four times and appeared to be limping after the game.Browns coach Hue Jackson confirmed Kessler will get the start Thursday against the Ravens.He is a young player, and I want to have an opportunity to watch him (against) the toughest competition so we can do a better job of evaluating him for our future, Jackson said.Jackson was also looking forward to playing on the short week to hopefully take the sting out of the latest loss, but acknowledged the Ravens aggressive defense poses a huge challenge.You get a chance to get that taste out of your mouth, Jackson said. Obviously, that game was here at home in front of our fans and people that we like to go out and perform well for. We were not able to do that 1/8for them 3/8. We get a chance to go on the road and go play another game against a very good opponent.Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2015, gave the team and fans a scare in the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh. Flacco was forced to hop off the field after he jammed his surgically repaired left knee on awkward slide in the third quarter. Flacco ran directly into the locker room and was able to return with a new knee brace.Flacco said he is fully healthy and the Ravens need to take advantage of their situation in the current standings.We can say that were atop the division, Flacco said. I think when you have a handful of guys on your team, and this is the first time being in this game with these guys, it gives them a lot of confidence moving forward. ' ' '