Brewers 2, Reds 0: Peralta goes the distance

Win: Wily Peralta (6-9)
Loss: Tony Cingrani (3-1)

HR: Logan Schafer (1)

MVP: Wily Peralta (.606 WPA)
LVP: Carlos Gomez (-.102 WPA)

Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph

Boxscore

It happened. It finally happened. After 407 consecutive games without one, the Brewers finally had a pitcher throw a complete game. Not only did Wily Peralta pitch a full nine innings, he shut out one of the best teams in the National League.

Peralta was in complete control tonight. Throughout the game, he did a great job getting ahead in counts, throwing 20 first pitch strikes to the 29 batters he faced. Throwing early strikes and keeping his fastball down in the zone allowed Peralta to induce 13 ground outs.

Peralta paired those 13 ground outs with six strikeouts to hold the Reds scoreless tonight. Though Peralta walked four batters, he limited the damage by allowing only one runner past second base.

That runner was Derrick Robinson. In the top of the seventh, the Brewers removed Ryan Braun from the game and replaced him with shortstop turned utility infielder turned left fielder Jeff Bianchi. With two outs, Robinson smacked a ball down the left field line, which Bianchi misplayed terribly. With the ball bouncing off the side railing and over Bianchi's head, Robinson attempted to score. After a bobble near the wall, Bianchi fired a throw directly to cutoff man Jean Segura, who cut down Robinson at home plate to preserve the shutout.

For the most part, the bats of the Brewers remained quiet as well tonight besides a few exceptions. After a walk from Jean Segura in the first, Ryan Braun announced his return from the disabled list with a single to right center on the very first pitch he saw. With only one out and runners on first and third, the Brewers were unable to do any damage.

The Brewers would continue to fail to do much of anything offensively until the bottom of the fifth inning. Martin Maldonado led off the inning with a walk and Logan Schafer followed him with a no doubter to right center. The home run was the very first of Schafer's career.

Brewers hitters looked lost at the plate tonight and Tony Cingrani held them to only three hits while also striking out 10 batters. Schafer's home run would be the only two runs the Brewers would muster against Cingrani and the Reds tonight, but ultimately the only two runs they would need.

The Reds will stick around for one more game in Milwaukee before heading out of town tomorrow. Johnny Hellweg will make his third career start and hope for some help from his teammates defensively. Hellweg has given up 14 runs in his two starts, only eight of the runs have been earned. Since the Reds will be on their way out of town, first pitch will be in the afternoon tomorrow at 1:10 p.m.