High-powered night
Six homers support Nelson’s 11 Ks
CINCINNATI - The Milwaukee Brewers broke out the big lumber in making up for two games’ worth of frustration on Thursday night.
With Ryan Braun’s home run three batters in setting the tone, they went deep a season-high six times in steamrolling over the Cincinnati Reds, 11-3, at Great American Ball Park.
Jonathan Villar hit a pair in his first start back from the disabled list, Jesús Aguilar hit a three-run shot and Manny Piña and Domingo Santana each added round-trippers as well as Milwaukee avoided a series sweep.
Staked to a 2-0 lead after two inning and ahead by 10 runs entering the fourth, Jimmy Nelson was able to pitch largely without pressure and mostly cruised through seven innings before hitting the showers with a career-high-tying 11 strikeouts.
Braun kicked off the scoring by banging a two-out homer off the foul pole in left field in the first. It was the second homer in as many nights for Braun and his 24th career round-tripper at Great American Ball Park, the most ever by a visiting player.
Piña matched Braun with a solo shot to right-center in the second, then Jonathan Villar hit one to nearly the same spot to lead off the third. One batter later, Homer Bailey plunked Santana, leading home-plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth to speak briefly to the right-hander.
Bailey went on to record the next two outs before the Brewers got to him again. With Santana still on first, Aguilar — starting in place of the slumping Eric Thames — doubled to right drive in Santana and make it 4-0.
Reds manager Bryan Price challenged, believing the ball had become wedged between the padding on the wall and the ground, and was ejected for arguing after the umpires had confirmed the ball was in play.
Hernán Pérez followed with a single to center, with Aguilar scoring after Devin Mesoraco couldn’t handle the throw home from centerfielder Billy Hamilton. Then after Pérez stole third, Piña bounced a single to left that upped Milwaukee’s advantage to 6-0.
Bailey was pulled after the third and replaced by Kevin Shackelford, who was making his major-league debut against the team that traded him to Cincinnati in 2015 as part of the Jonathan Broxton deal.
He was greeted by Villar’s second homer of the night, and after Braun and Travis Shaw singled Aguilar crushed a three-run shot to straightaway center that gave the Brewers a double-digit lead at 10-0.
The first hit Nelson surrendered was — what else? — a homer, with Votto hitting his 22nd of the season out to right in the bottom of the fourth to break up the shutout.
Votto led off the Reds’ seventh with his second homer, a shot that was also just the second hit for Cincinnati. Adam Duvall followed with a double, but Nelson (6-4) retired the next three batters — including two via strikeout.
Santana led off the eighth by homering to center to give the Brewers their sixth six-homer game in franchise history and first since Sept. 9, 2007. That one also occurred at Great American Ball Park. BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
Class AAA Colorado Springs’ Garrett Cooper has been named a starting first baseman in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game, which will be played on July 12 in Tacoma, Wash.
It’s the second straight season Cooper has earned an all-star nod; he did so last year as well while with Class AA Biloxi. Through 64 games, Cooper was hitting .357 with 14 homers, 67 RBI and an OPS of 1.026 for the Sky Sox.
The 2013 sixth-round pick has gotten himself onto the radar with his big season despite not being considered a top prospect at 26 years of age. He hit .200 in 15 atbats spread over 12 games with the Brewers in spring training, giving Brewers manager Craig Counsell a brief look at his skill set.
Minor-league outfielders
Lewis Brinson and Corey Ray and infielder Mauricio Dubon have been invited to take part in the All-Star Futures Game on July 9 at Marlins Park.
Brinson and Ray will play for the U.S. Team, while Dubon, a native of Honduras, will play for the World Team.
Brinson made his major-league debut for the Brewers earlier in the month. STAT SHEET
Braun has hit 39 career homers against the Reds. That’s the most by any player against Cincinnati since 2007, which was Braun’s rookie year.
Corey Knebel needs a strikeout in his next appearance to set a major-league record for a reliever by recording at least one punchout in 40 consecutive outings.
Knebel tied the record of 39, which was set by Bruce Sutter of the Chicago Cubs in 1977, with his eighth-inning strikeout of Scooter Gennett on Wednesday. TAKEAWAY
It was an impressive power display for the Brewers, who have yet to be swept this season. RECORD
This year: 42-39 (21-22 home 21-17 away)
Last year: 35-46 NEXT GAME
Friday: Brewers vs. Marlins, 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Matt Garza (3-4, 4.43) vs. Miami RHP Edinson Volquez (4-8, 4.15). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.