Renfroe homers twice as Brewers throttle Reds
CINCINNATI — Hunter Renfroe hit a pair of two-run homers and had a season-high five RBIs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to their fourth straight win, a 10-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.
Renfroe’s shots boosted Milwaukee’s homer count against the Reds this season to 42, tied with the 2016 Cubs for the most by any team against Cincinnati in franchise history.
The Brewers (82-70) gained ground in the playoff chase. They moved within 6 1/2 games of first-place St. Louis in the NL Central and are 1½ games behind Philadelphia for the third and final NL wild card.
Milwaukee has won four straight for the first time since July 26-30. The Brewers last reached double figures during that run in a 10-4 win over Minnesota.
“I think we have to take turns offensively doing it,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “Home runs come in bunches. I think it’s going to take different guys every night.”
Renfroe tied his career high with four hits in support of Corbin Burnes (118). The reigning Cy Young Award-winner gave up four hits and two runs with three walks and eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
The Brewers have outscored the slumping Reds 20-6 in the first three games of the four-game series. Cincinnati (59-93) is a season-high 34 games under .500.
Reds infielder Alejo Lopez pitched the ninth and gave up Rowdy Tellez’s leadoff homer.
Renfroe blasted a Graham Ashcraft 3-2 pitch into the second deck in left field for a 2-1 lead in the fourth. The shot was Renfroe’s 26th of the season and first since Sept. 9 at Colorado.
The Reds activated Ashcraft (5-4) from the injured list (right biceps soreness) for his first start since Aug. 19. The Brewers tagged the rookie right-hander for eight hits and four runs with two strikeouts in four innings.
Renfroe has seven home runs at Great American Ball Park this season, the most of any player not on the Reds.