"Individual accomplishments always are more satisfying in the context of an important victory for the team.

Accordingly, Ryan Braun was all smiles Friday night in the visitor's clubhouse at Great American Ball Park.

"The fact that it came in a win, in a big win for that matter, makes it that more enjoyable," said the Milwaukee Brewers all-star leftfielder.

The "it" was Braun becoming only the second player in franchise history to accumulate 30 home runs and 30 steals in the same season. And the big win was a 6-3 decision over the Cincinnati Reds, thanks primarily to five home runs by the Brewers.

The victory allowed the Brewers to lower their magic number for clinching the NL Central crown to seven. St. Louis failed to cooperate further by pulling out a 4-2 win in 11 innings in Philadelphia, remaining 5½ games back.

Braun joined Tommy Harper as the lone members of the Brewers' 30?/?30 Club, with Harper accomplishing the feat (31 homers, 38 steals) in the club's inaugural season in 1970. Braun entered the night with 31 steals and got to 30 homers with opposite-field shots in the third off Bronson Arroyo and the eighth off Jeremy Horst.

It was a very good sign for the Brewers when Braun hit his first home run because Prince Fielder already had gone deep in the second inning off Arroyo, who allowed only five hits over 61/3 innings but four left the yard. When Braun and Fielder have homered in the same game since becoming teammates, the Brewers are 26-9 including a 14-game winning streak.

"It's just nice to get back to swinging the bats well," said Braun, referring to the fact the Brewers had not scored more than three runs for eight consecutive games."