MILWAUKEE - Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is showing signs hes shaking off a two-week slump. Matt Adams Nationals Jersey . Fighting a 7-for-43 slide, Braun came through with a game-winning two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift Milwaukee to a 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night. Braun hit the ball hard in two of his first three at-bats Saturday, but still made outs. "My swing has gone between terrible and awful the last two weeks," he said. "But thats the way the game of baseball goes sometimes." With one out in the eighth inning, Scooter Gennett ended up with a double after blooping a ball to centre that Billy Hamilton got his glove on but couldnt hold. Braun then drove the first pitch from reliever J.J. Hoover (1-5) over the right field fence for his 10th homer of the season and first since June 1. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 21st save in 23 opportunities. Will Smith (1-0) got the win despite giving up a game-tying home run to Hamilton in the eighth inning. "We know a lot about Hoover and know he likes to throw the fastball," Braun said. "This is definitely encouraging and hopefully I can build off that and get going." Another encouraging sign for the Brewers was the performance of starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo, who went seven innings, allowing one run on six hits and two walks while striking out eight. It was the second straight strong outing for Gallardo, who struck out a season-high eight and allowed four hits in seven innings of a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh June 8. "I was able to make pitches tonight and get ahead of hitters," he said. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke likes what hes seeing from Gallardo. "Hes definitely on track," Roenicke said. "His curveball was very good and has been for the past two games. If we can get that from him consistently, thats really good." Gallardo needed to be very good Saturday to offset Reds starter Mat Latos, who threw 87 pitches over six shutout innings in his season debut, giving up two hits while striking out four. He started the season on the disabled list while recovering from elbow and knee surgeries. Latos retired the first four hitters he faced before giving up a single to Aramis Ramirez. He then retired 13 hitters in a row before Gennett outlasted him in a long at-bat with two outs in the sixth inning. Gennett, who several times just got a piece of the ball to stay alive, hit the 13th pitch into left field for a double. Braun then hit a drive to the centre field wall that Hamilton caught, prompting Latos to thrust his fist in the air. Latos said it was emotional to be back on the mound. "It has been a struggle to get where I was today," he said. "It is definitely good. The outcome kind of sucks, but that is baseball. They are in first place for a reason. You just got to come back strong tomorrow." The Reds grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Brandon Phillips RBI single. The Brewers wasted no time in taking the lead after Latos left the game. Logan Ondrusek walked Jonathan Lucroy to start the seventh inning and Carlos Gomez lined a single. Both runners advanced on Ramirezs fly out and Lucroy scored on Khris Davis groundout. Rickie Weeks then singled to left to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. Hamilton tied the score in the bottom of the inning with his third home run of the season. NOTES: To make room for Latos on the roster, the Reds put LHP Sean Marshall on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. ... The Brewers signed the teams top three draft picks from the draft: LHP Kodi Medeiros, SS Jacob Gatewood and OF Monte Harrison. All three were at Miller Park Saturday and took batting practice before the game. ... The Brewers will start RHP Marco Estrada (5-3) in Sundays series finale against the Reds Mike Leake (3-6). Wilmer Difo Jersey . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. Jayson Werth Nationals Jersey . 1 player in the world. So Duval gutted it out Thursday at the Byron Nelson Championship despite the pain from a muscle issue in his right elbow, a day after his stepson had to drive him because he couldnt even use that arm. https://www.cheapnationals.com/1617r-howie-kendrick-jersey-nationals.html . His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks.The Netherlands is now the single greatest speed skating team at an Olympic Games after sweeping the womens 1,500-metre race at the Adler Arena Skating Center in Sochi. Jorien ter Mors set an Olympic-record time of one minute 53.51 seconds to win her first Olympic gold medal. Ter Mors just missed a short track medal Saturday, finishing fourth in the 1,500m. "It is bizarre that I can do this," said Ter Mors, who had to wait nearly an hour to know the gold was assured after skating in the ninth of 18 pairings. Veteran Ireen Wust failed to defend her Olympic title but still managed to win silver in 1:54.09. Wust now has six Olympic medals, including three gold and a victory in the womens 3000m in Sochi. "I admit Im a bit ticked," Wust said. "I had [a gold medal] in me. Maybe I was too keen, too concerned about lap times. You have got to be loose out there on the ice, and then the lap times will come. But I dont begrudge Jorien the gold." Lotte van Beek made it a 1-2-3 Dutch finish with a time of 1:54.54. The Dutch team actually had the top-four skaters as Marrit Leenstra finished with a time of 1:56.40. The Netherlands has dominated the proceedings, taking five gold and 16 medals so far in only eight races, eclipsing the record set by East Germany in the 1988 Games in Calgary. It also as swept events in the mens 500 and 5,000m in Sochi. No Canadian women were able to crack the top 10. Reginas Kali Christ plaaced 16th in 1:53. Washington Nationals Store. 51. Christine Nesbitt, of London, Ont., finished 17th with a time of 1:58.67, Winnipegs Brittany Schussler was 26th in 2:00.65, while Brianne Tutt of Calgary, ended up 35th in 2:03.69. It was another disappointing event for Nesbitt, who finished ninth in the 1,000m — her signature event — on Thursday. Nesbitt won gold in that distance at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She was the 1,500m world champion in 2012, and dominated the World Cup circuit two years ago. But injuries, a battle with coeliac disease and admittedly feeling the pressure of defending Olympic gold have all contributed to Nesbitts dismal season, where she failed to medal in any of the World Cup events. "I think one of the hardest things about winning is that because youve done it once people expect you do it again and again and again," said Kristina Groves, CBC Sports speed skating analyst and four-time Olympic medallist. "I think they forget how hard it is to do that. Nesbitt has had some struggles with injuries, with coeliac disease and that takes a toll over time. But I think she should be proud of this race. I know she was probably expected more but shes been through so much this season. "I thought she looked solid, just a little slow tempo toward the end. I think she should be proud of herself for coming here and giving herself the best chance she possibly could to win a medal for Canada." ' ' '