Joey Ortiz gave the Brewers all the runs they needed with a three-run homer as Milwaukee beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 3-1 on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of a three-game series.
The game was a scoreless pitching duel into the fifth when Brewers leadoff man Ortiz hit his first homer since May 17. Reds starter Andrew Abbott walked Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang, then left a 1-1 changeup over the plate, and Ortiz blasted it 398 feet to left-center field for a 3-0 Milwaukee lead. It was Ortiz’s sixth homer of the season.
Before that, Abbott had allowed just three singles, and his infielders — shortstop Elly De La Cruz and second baseman Jonathan India — make a pair of magnificent plays to get outs on grounders.
Brewers right-hander Bryse Wilson, who came in as the bulk reliever after opener Jared Koenig got the first two outs of the game, settled in and allowed just three singles over 5 1/3 innings, striking out six.
Left-hander Bryan Hudson pitched two perfect innings in relief of Wilson, setting down the Reds in order in the seventh and eighth. Hudson fanned two.
Wilson (4-3) earned the win for Milwaukee. Abbott (5-6) took the loss, giving up the three runs, four hits and three walks to go along with three strikeouts.
Right-hander Trevor Megill came in to pitch the ninth and walked De La Cruz to lead off the inning. De La Cruz then stole his major-league-leading 35th base of the season and scored on Jeimer Candelario’s double to center.
Megill then got a groundout and a fielder’s choice before Stuart Fairchild flied out to end the game. Megill earned his 12th save of 2024.
The Brewers have won five of their past eight games, while Cincinnati has dropped three of its past five following a seven-game winning streak.
–Field Level Media
