Titanic Struggle Recap: Take your time, Joey Votto. The Reds are doing just fine.

Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Milwaukee 2
Cincinnati 6
W: B. Arroyo (5-6)
L: Y. Gallardo (8-7)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Bronson Arroyo pitched six strong innings, surrendering just two runs on six hits. Four other guys — Jose Arredondo, Sean Marshall, Sam LeCure, and Logan Ondrusek — combined to shut out the Brewers on just one hit over the final three innings.

–The Reds did most of their damage in the first inning, scoring four runs. After that, the Brewers never really challenged. Jay Bruce (2-4, with a double) singled in a run, Scott Rolen hit a sac fly, and Ryan Ludwick (2-4, run scored, 2 RBI) hit a long, upper-deck, two-run homer.

–Brandon Phillips also went 2-4 with a two-run homer in the seventh that put a cap on the scoring.

–Rolen also tripled!

–Todd Frazier had two hits.

–Phillips and Zack Cozart turned an absolutely beautiful double play tonight. Cozart made a diving stop, and BP made a quick and flawless turn to get the out at first.

NEGATIVES
–None.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–The Reds had another strong performance in Joey Votto’s absence tonight. Obviously, I was kidding with the subject line above, but it’s good to see the Reds continue to play well, even in Votto’s absence (4-2 since the surgery).

–After winning 10 of 12 games, the ol’ Redlegs are now 14 games over .500. That’s good. Only three teams in all of baseball (only one in the National League) have a better record.

–This:

Scott Rolen just tripled. That’s my favorite thing I’ve seen this week. #Reds

— Barry Larkin Nation (@redlegnation) July 22, 2012

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–Nice rebound start by Arroyo, after his worst outing of the year in his last start. I think he used every arm angle in his arsenal tonight. A joy to watch, mostly.

–BP has 7 RBI in the last three games.

–That’s 74 straight games at GAB with a homerun. Longest streak in MLB since Coors Field in 2002-03.

–More than 40,000 people crowded into the ol’ ballyard tonight; it was the ninth sellout of the year for the Reds.

–Arredondo took a line drive off his pitching arm in the seventh, and was forced to leave the game. It didn’t appear particularly serious, but we’ll find out tomorrow, I imagine.

–Reds go for the sweep tomorrow!