Big rally helps Crew remain unbeaten on road
CINCINNATI – It took the Milwaukee Brewers a bit longer to get going in this one but their perfect road record remained intact.
Scoring 10 unanswered runs to erase an early threerun deficit, the Brewers pulled away to a 10-4 victory Friday night over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Beyond giving the Brewers a 4-0 record on this ninegame trip, the triumph had this statistical significance: They moved above .500 (6-5) for the first time since ending the 2014 season with a 8280 record.
Great American is known as a home run ballpark and that factor worked against Brewers starter Tommy Milone in the early going. After Eugenio Suarez singled with one down in the second inning, Zack Cozart knocked a 0-1 fastball out to left to put the Reds on top, 2-0.
Joey Votto, a home run threat in any ballpark, made it a three-run game in the third when he smashed a first-pitch fastball from Milone out to center. It was the third home run for Votto, who otherwise is off to a slow start at the plate.
The Brewers finally countered against Reds starter Scott Feldman in the Saturday: Brewers (Davies, 0-2) at Reds (Finnegan, 1-0), 12:10 p.m. TV: FSWis. Radio: AM-620.
fourth, and just like that the offense was back in business. Catcher Manny Pina, who is off to an impressive start in his first chance at regular playing time, got it going with a two-run, oppositefield double with one out.
Feldman gave the Brewers a chance for more damage in the fifth by walking the bases loaded but escaped when Domingo Santana grounded into a double play. Cincinnati manager Bryan Price then summoned what had been an improved bullpen in the sixth, with disastrous results.
Pinch-hitter Jesús Aguilar tied the game with a RBI groundout, touching off a four-run rally that put the Brewers on top to stay. Jonathan Villar followed with a RBI double, and when the Reds brought in lefty Wandy Peralta to face the left-handed-hitting Eric Thames, he responded with a two-run homer.
The carnage continued with four more runs in the seventh. Orlando Arcia, who is starting to get better swings, singled in a run, pinchhitter Nick Franklin tripled in two more and Thames capped the rally by beating the infield shift with a run-scoring single through the left side.
Just like that, the game had completely turned.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
When Ryan Braun walked in the first inning, Reds catcher Stuart Turner let the ball get by and did not go after it. Instead, he asked for a new ball and umpire Gary Cederstrom gave him one. Brewers manager Craig Counsell came out to ask why the original ball was not considered still in play.
Scooter Gennett faced his former team for the first time as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and struck out against reliever Jacob Barnes. Batting a second time in the ninth against Oliver Drake, he singled. STAT SHEET
The Reds’ bullpen, which was horrid in 2016, put together a string of 20 13⁄ scoreless innings before the Brewers scored twice in the sixth off Travis Wood.
The four hits by catcher Pina represented a career high. TAKEAWAY
It’s not unusual for a team that was stripped down completely for a total rebuild to have trouble putting winning streaks together. Still, it was noteworthy that the Brewers put an end to the 334-game stretch of being .500 or below — the longest stretch in club history. Considering some of the dark years the Brewers have had, that’s pretty amazing. RECORD
This year: 6-5 (2-5 home; 4-0 away)
Last year: 5-6 NEXT GAME
Saturday: Brewers at Reds, 12:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (0-2, 10.61) vs. Cincinnati LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-0, 1.00). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.