The Cincinnati Reds entered this weekend on another hot streak, only to encounter an imposing speed bump set by the Milwaukee Brewers.
After having its five-game winning streak snapped with a 7-3 loss on Friday, Cincinnati will look for a bounce-back victory when the teams continue the three-game series on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Joey Votto hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs in the loss for Cincinnati, which had gone 23-6 since dropping three of four against the Brewers in early June.
The Reds, who lead the majors with 32 come-from-behind wins, brought the tying run to the plate on Friday before Devin Williams struck out Nick Senzel with the bases loaded to end the game.
“Unfortunately, even though we believed it was going to happen there at the end, it doesn’t happen every single time,” Reds manager David Bell said. “But to put yourself in a situation to have the opportunity to come back or tie it with one swing of the bat, that’s really what you’re trying to do in those situations. We were able to do that with some good at-bats at the end of the game.”
Milwaukee outhit Cincinnati 14-4 in the series opener and moved within a game of the first-place Reds in the National League Central.
Joey Wiemer and Willy Adames each hit two-run homers and Owen Miller had three hits and an RBI for the Brewers, who won despite going 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
“It was a good offensive night,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “We swung the bats well and produced a lot of pressure. We left some runners out there, unfortunately, but it was a good offensive night.”
Adames is 9-for-30 (.300) with two homers and eight RBIs in his past seven games after hitting .185 last month.
“I’m just trying to be more calm at the plate, just trying to not force anything and just let it happen,” Adames said. “I’m grateful to see some results, but the most important thing is to get the win.”
The Brewers will send right-hander Colin Rea (5-4, 4.40 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. He gave up two runs in a season-high 6 2/3 innings in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates last Sunday.
Rea, 33, has proved to be a capable fill-in for injured starters Brandon Woodruff, Aaron Ashby and Eric Lauer. He has allowed a total of three homers in his past six starts.
Rea, who signed with the Brewers last winter as a minor league free agent, is 4-0 with a 5.17 ERA in four career games (three starts) versus Cincinnati.
Right-hander Luke Weaver (2-2, 6.72) will take the mound for Cincinnati. He snapped a string of nine consecutive no-decisions last Monday, when he allowed two runs over five innings in a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
“A win’s a win,” Weaver said. “Just happy to help contribute on the day I’m pitching. It seems that we don’t lose when I’m pitching, regardless of my results, but it’s a great place to be.”
Weaver, 29, has gone 3-2 with a 4.23 ERA in seven career starts versus Milwaukee. Christian Yelich has homered twice in six at-bats against the Florida native.
–Field Level Media
