Cincinnati Reds win thriller on opening day

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).

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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.

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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.

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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: