Santana hit the first pitch from Reds reliever and former Brewer Jared Hughes, who inherited runners on first and second.

Starting his first inning in relief, Wandy Peralta got the first two hitters on line drives to center field. But Christian Yelich singled, and Ryan Braun followed with a walk. The Brewers pulled off a double steal, with Yelich scoring and Braun going to third when catcher Tucker Barnhart's throw to third bounced into left field. Travis Shaw followed with a walk, ending Peralta's night and setting the stage for Santana. Peralta (1-2) took the loss.

Brandon Woodruff (1-0) got the win in relief, striking out two in 1 1/3 innings.

Hard-throwing left-hander Josh Hader finished it off with a flourish, striking out eight in 2 2/3 innings and allowing only a walk to record his fourth save. Hader became the first pitcher in major league history to strike out eight batters in an outing of less than three innings.

The teams took turns scoring in the middle innings, with Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez driving in four runs over two innings to overcome Brewers leads.

With the Reds trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Suarez ripped a two-run double between Yelich and the left field foul line.

Then after the Brewers regained the lead 3-2 in the fifth, Reds shortstop Jose Peraza hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and three batters later, Suarez singled hard up the middle to drive in two more, giving him 14 RBIs for the season.

Cincinnati left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who began the night with an ERA of 8.03, needed 89 pitches to get through five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks. He also struck out three.

One of Finnegan's problems in his first three starts was home runs, as he allowed one about every four innings, and the Brewers took advantage.

Finnegan worked three scoreless innings before catcher Manny Pina drove a fastball over the wall in center field for a 1-0 lead in the fourth. It was his second home run of the season

An inning later, with the Brewers trailing, pitcher Jhoulys Chacin led off with a hard single to right field, and Lorenzo Cain launched a two-run homer to left-center field, his fourth of the season.

Each time the Brewers scored, however, the Reds answered.

In the bottom of the fourth, Joey Votto, the National League Player of the Week after smashing home runs in four straight games and hitting .360 while drawing nine walks, was hit by a pitch by Chacin. Scott Schebler followed with a hard line double to left center, setting up Suarez's two-run double.

Chacin didn't survive the fifth. Billy Hamilton doubled to left field, Jesse Winker reached on a bunt single, and Peraza's sacrifice fly tied the game.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell brought in left-hander Dan Jennings to face lefties Votto, who walked, and Schebler, who singled to left field.

Right-hander Jacob Barnes relieved Jennings and gave up Suarez's single.

--Field Level Media