Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) – Ramon Hernandez hit a three-run game-winning homer, as the Cincinnati Reds scored four times in the bottom of the ninth to comeback and shock the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6, in the 2011 season-opener for both clubs at Great American Ball Park.

Holding a 6-3 lead, John Axford (0-1) came on for the Brewers to try and close out the game in the ninth, but was unable to do so.

The closer allowed a lead-off single to Brandon Phillips, then issued a walk to Joey Votto, before Scott Rolen reached on a fielder’s choice that loaded the bases.

Jay Bruce went down on strikes and Jonny Gomes lined a first-pitch fastball to center that was good for a sacrifice fly, making it a 6-4 game.

Hernandez then stepped in and lined a second-pitch four-seam fastball over the wall in right to give the Reds a dramatic 7-6 victory.

“For this to happen to me on Opening Day is amazing,” Hernandez said about his three-run homer.

Hernandez finished 4-for-5 and Drew Stubbs added a solo homer and double for the Reds, who hope to take another step forward after capturing the National League Central title last season.

Cincinnati earned its first division title since 1995, but were quickly eliminated in the playoffs, falling to Philadelphia in three games in the NL Division Series, highlighted by Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in Game 1.

Votto, the Reigning NL MVP was rewarded with a three-year, $38 million contract extension in the offseason, had a solo homer and drove in two in the win.

The 27-year-old flirted with a triple crown in 2010. He ended the year with 37 home runs (third in the league), 113 runs batted in (third) and a .324 batting average (second).

Edinson Volquez got the starting nod and was touched for five runs on seven hits with two walks. The right-hander fanned five, but allowed three home runs over six innings. Logan Ondrusek (1-0) was credited with the win for throwing a scoreless top of the ninth.

Rickie Weeks hit a solo homer and knocked in two, while Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun also added a solo shot for Milwaukee, which look to challenge for the Central Division crown under new skipper Ron Roenicke, who was hired in November as a replacement for the fired Ken Macha.

Yovani Gallardo work six full innings, yielding a pair of runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Milwaukee opened the season with a bang as Weeks and Gomez clubbed back-to- back homers, as part of a three-run top of the first. Weeks led off the game, jumping on a 2-2 fastball and hammering it into the left-field seats and Gomez followed by hitting a slider into the second deck in left. It was the first time since 1969 that a team began the season with back-to-back home runs.

“It was a great start, obviously,” Weeks said. “To get two runs on the board like that is good for any ball club, so it was a great start.”

Casey McGehee chased in another run with a sac fly later in the inning.

The Reds did get one back in the home half. Stubbs doubled leading off and later crossed the plate on Votto’s deep sac fly to center.

Weeks’ RBI double in the second made it a 4-1 game and Gallardo was able to workout of a bases loaded two-out jam in the third.

Stubbs’ solo shot to right in the fourth got the Reds to within two, but Braun answered with a solo homer to center in the fifth to put the Brewers up 5-2.

McGehee singled home Braun in the seventh to add to the visitors’ advantage, however, Votto’s homer to right got the run back in the home half.

Takashi Saito worked out of some trouble in the eighth to bridge the gap for Axford, who was unable to get the job done in the ninth.

Game Notes

The Reds were 11-3 against the Brewers last season, going 7-1 against them in Cincinnati…The Reds improved to 65-69-1 in home openers…McGehee had two RBI in defeat.

© Copyright (c) The Sports Network

The Brewers got off to a powerful start, and the defending NL Central champions had the big finish.

One game in, the Reds are at it again.

Ramon Hernandez hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday, rallying Cincinnati to a 7-6 victory over Milwaukee in an opening-day flashback to its championship season.

“I’ve played 12 years, and this is the most amazing opening day,” said Hernandez, who ended it with his fourth hit. “To get that type of win is great, and to do it on a day like today gets people even more excited. It’s amazing.”

Quite a start. Quite a finish.

The Brewers became the first team in 42 years to open the season with back-to-back homers when Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez connected off Edinson Volquez. Ryan Braun also had a solo shot, helping Milwaukee take a 6-3 lead to the ninth.

That’s when the Reds reverted to their winning ways of 2010. Their first six wins last season came in their final at-bat, tying the major league record. Appropriately, they clinched the division title at home on Jay Bruce’s game-ending homer.

They began the new season with only the second game-ending homer in Reds opening-day history — Joe Randa beat the Mets with one in 2005.

“I’ve never seen an opening day like that,” said Dusty Baker, who won his first opener in four years as the Reds manager. “I’ve seen a guy hit a homer to start the game, but I’ve never seen the first two guys hit homers.

“That was about as dramatic a finish as you can have, especially ending the season the way we did last year and then starting it the same way this year.”

The Brewers were leading by three before John Axford (0-1) let it get away. He blew only three save chances last season, when he set a Milwaukee rookie record with 24 saves.

Hernandez hit an opposite-field line drive that set off a familiar Reds scrum at home plate.

“It seemed like he got a good piece if it, but I wasn’t too sure,” Axford said. “It sounded a little different.”

The next sound he heard was a collective scream from what remained of the crowd of 42,398 — many had left on a cold, raw afternoon. Hernandez’s homer was the last of six in the game, the only one that wasn’t a solo shot.

The Brewers have designs on overtaking the NL Central champions after changing managers — Ron Roenicke took over for Ken Macha — and adding Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to their rotation. They let a chance to take first place get away.

The 41-degree first pitch made for the second-coldest opener in Great American Ball Park’s nine-year history, prompting fans to bundle in coats and blankets. Volquez warmed up wearing a red hooded sweatshirt.

Then, the Brewers got off to the majors’ most sizzling start in decades.

Weeks extended his spring tear with his 22nd career leadoff homer. He led the Brewers with a .442 average and one homer during spring training. Fast starts are no surprise for him — Weeks hit a club-record eight leadoff homers last season.

When Gomez homered into the upper deck two pitches later, the Brewers became the first team in the majors to start a season with a pair of homers since Cincinnati’s Pete Rose — who watched from a seat behind home plate on Thursday — and Bobby Tolan connected off Don Drysdale in 1969. Drysdale didn’t allow another run in that one, winning 3-2.

NOTES: Hernandez is the fifth Reds player since 1900 to have four hits on opening day, joining C Bubbles Hargrave (1924), OF Babe Herman (1936), OF Jim Greengrass (1954) and OF Paul O’Neill (1989). … Logan Ondrusek got the victory with one inning in relief. … Reds 1B Joey Votto received his NL MVP award before the game. He homered and drove in a pair of runs. … The Reds are 65-69-1 on opening day, the Brewers 23-19-1. … The Reds played a tribute to former manager Sparky Anderson on the videoboard before the game. Anderson died in November. The Reds are wearing a “Sparky” patch on their right sleeves. His No. 10 was marked on the back of the mound.

CINCINNATI — Ramon Hernandez hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in an opening-day flashback to their NL Central title season.

The Brewers became the first team in 42 years to open the season with back-to-back homers when Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez connected off Edinson Volquez. Ryan Braun also had a solo shot, helping Milwaukee take a 6-3 lead to the ninth.

That’s when the Reds reverted to their winning ways of 2010. Their first six wins last season came in their final at-bat, tying the major league record. Hernandez connected off closer John Axford (0-1).

WATCH:

The Reds trailed 6-3 when Axford – who set a Milwaukee rookie record with 24 saves last season – let it get away. Cincinnati loaded the bases with none out, but Axford fanned Jay Bruce and got Jonny Gomes to hit a sacrifice fly to deep center.

Hernandez hit an opposite-field homer into the Brewers’ bullpen, setting off another hopping home-plate celebration like so many last season. The Reds tied for second-most wins in their final at-bat while taking the NL Central title.

The Brewers have designs on overtaking the NL Central champions after changing managers – Ron Roenicke took over for Ken Macha – and adding Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to their rotation. One game in, they’re one game behind.

The 41-degree first pitch made for the second-coldest opener in Great American Ball Park’s nine-year history, prompting the 42,398 fans to bundle in coats and blankets. Volquez warmed up wearing a red hooded sweatshirt.

Then, the Brewers got off to the majors’ most sizzling start in decades.

Weeks extended his spring tear with his 22nd career leadoff homer. He led the Brewers with a .442 average and one homer during spring training. Fast starts are no surprise for him – Weeks hit a club-record eight leadoff homers last season.

When Gomez homered into the upper deck two pitches later, the Brewers became the first team in the majors to start a season with a pair of homers since Cincinnati’s Pete Rose – who watched from a seat behind home plate on Thursday – and Bobby Tolan connected off Don Drysdale in 1969. Drysdale didn’t allow another run in that one, winning 3-2.

Drew Stubbs and National League MVP Joey Votto hit solo homers, but the Reds went to their final at-bat before Hernandez ended it with his three-run shot, his fourth hit of the game.

NOTES: Logan Ondrusek got the victory with one inning in relief. … The Reds are 65-69-1 on opening day, the Brewers 23-19-1. … It was the second time the Brewers and Reds opened the season. The other was 2000, when Ken Griffey Jr. returned to his hometown team. The game was rained out as a 3-3 tie. … The Reds played a tribute to former manager Sparky Anderson on the videoboard before the game. Anderson died in November. The Reds are wearing a “Sparky” patch on their right sleeves. His No. 10 was marked on the back of the mound. … Rose spent time thumbing through the records section of a Reds media guide while sitting in his seat. He attends several games a season in his hometown. … The Reds won for the first time in four season openers under manager Dusty Baker.

Ramon Hernandez hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in an opening-day flashback to their NL Central title season.

The Brewers became the first team in 42 years to open the season with back-to-back homers when Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez connected off Edinson Volquez. Ryan Braun also had a solo shot, helping Milwaukee take a 6-3 lead to the ninth.

That’s when the Reds reverted to their winning ways of 2010. Their first six wins last season came in their final at-bat, tying the major league record. Hernandez connected off closer John Axford (0-1).

Photos: 2011 Opening Day

The Reds trailed 6-3 when Axford — who set a Milwaukee rookie record with 24 saves last season — let it get away. Cincinnati loaded the bases with none out, but Axford fanned Jay Bruce and got Jonny Gomes to hit a sacrifice fly to deep center.

Hernandez hit an opposite-field homer into the Brewers’ bullpen, setting off another hopping home-plate celebration like so many last season. The Reds tied for second-most wins in their final at-bat while taking the NL Central title.

Scott Miller: Red Sox team to beat in 2011

The Brewers have designs on overtaking the NL Central champions after changing managers — Ron Roenicke took over for Ken Macha — and adding Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to their rotation. One game in, they’re one game behind.

The 41-degree first pitch made for the second-coldest opener in Great American Ball Park’s nine-year history, prompting the 42,398 fans to bundle in coats and blankets. Volquez warmed up wearing a red hooded sweatshirt.

CBSSports.com experts: 2011 predictions

Top 20 things to expect from 2011 season

Then, the Brewers got off to the majors’ most sizzling start in decades.

Weeks extended his spring tear with his 22nd career leadoff homer. He led the Brewers with a .442 average and one homer during spring training. Fast starts are no surprise for him — Weeks hit a club-record eight leadoff homers last season.

When Gomez homered into the upper deck two pitches later, the Brewers became the first team in the majors to start a season with a pair of homers since Cincinnati’s Pete Rose — who watched from a seat behind home plate on Thursday — and Bobby Tolan connected off Don Drysdale in 1969. Drysdale didn’t allow another run in that one, winning 3-2.

Drew Stubbs and National League MVP Joey Votto hit solo homers, but the Reds went to their final at-bat before Hernandez ended it with his three-run shot, his fourth hit of the game.

Thirty years ago, Andy Rooney visited the Louisville Slugger plant to mark the beginning of the baseball season: