Brewers’ Thames extends hot streak
CINCINNATI — That Ryan Braun torments the Cincinnati Reds is an old story. Eric Thames is just getting started.
Braun hit a goahead, two-run homer, Thames added a solo shot for his fifth home run of the series and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Reds 4-2 Sunday for their fifth win in six games.
Thames reached on a fielding error by second baseman Arismendy Alcantara in the third inning and scored on Braun's 37th homer against the Reds. Braun has 22 at Great American Ball Park, one behind Lance Berkman's mark for visiting players.
"Ryan's had success here," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "He knows he's had success. That promotes a great feeling when he's heading to Cincinnati."
Travis Shaw followed four pitches later with a solo homer off Sal Romano (0-1), who started in place of injured Rookie Davis and lasted three innings in his major-league debut.
Thames homered in the seventh against Tim Adleman, his sixth this season. Thames and former Red Aaron Boone in 2003 are the only players in the 15-year history of Great American Ball Park to hit five home runs in a four-game series.
Wily Peralta (3-0) allowed two runs, three hits and three walks in six innings, giving up Eugenio Suarez's tworun homer in the fourth. Neftali Feliz struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Romano, a 23-yearold right-hander, threw 35 pitches in the first inning and 82 in the game, allowing four walks, three hits and three runs with two strikeouts.
"It was overwhelming," he said. "There is no describing how I felt walking out to the mound. I'm not known to walk people. I have to keep pounding the strike zone. At least I've got this out of the way. Being my first game I was pumped."
Left-hander Brandon Finnegan became the fourth Reds starting pitcher to go on the disabled list and is expected to miss at least a month because of a strained left shoulder. Finnegan lasted just one inning of the Reds' 7-5 win over the Brewers on Saturday and joined Davis on the 10-day disabled list Sunday. Right-handers Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani are on the 60-day disabled list.
Alcantara dropped Braun's foul popup in the first.