Thames, Brewers pound Garrett

MILWAUKEE — Eric Thames homered twice to raise his major league-leading total to 10, Hernan Perez added a three-run shot, Matt Garza pitched for the first time this season and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 11-7 on Monday night.

The left-handed batting Thames got just enough muscle on an 0-and-2 pitch from Amir Garrett (2-2) to slice an oppositefield, two-run homer in the second. He extended his homerun streak against the Reds this season to five consecutive games with a solo shot to right in the first. Perez's threerun homer capped that inning.

Seven of Thames' 10 major-league leading home runs have come off the Reds' pitchers, including five in the four-game series in mid-April at Cincinnati.

Garza, who suffered a right groin strain at the end of spring training, was activated from the disabled list Monday. He threw 93 pitches, 57 for strikes, and was pulled after four innings. He allowed one earned run on four hits, walked three, struck out four and handed a 10-4 lead over to the bullpen.

Five relievers followed and Carlos Torres (1-2) picked up the win.

The Brewers chased Garrett in the fourth on Ryan Braun's run-scoring double and Manny Pina's RBI single. The rookie left-hander allowed nine earned runs and eight hits in 3

innings. He walked four and struck out one.

Scott Schebler hit a two-out, three-run homer off Garza in the third. His fifth home run of the season followed shortstop Orlando Arcia's fielding error on a routine groundball. Schebler doubled in a run in the ninth. Stuart Turner doubled in a run in the second and sixth. Jose Peraza added a two-out RBI single off Corey Knebel in the eighth.

Mesoraco to return Friday

Unless there is an injury to one of the Reds' two catchers during the Milwaukee series, Devin Mesoraco won’t be activated until Friday in St. Louis, manager Bryan Price said. Mesoraco has been on the disabled list since the start of the season after having surgeries on his hip and shoulder last season.