Brewers fall to Reds 7-3

The Milwaukee Brewers came into tonight’s action against the Cincinnati Reds as the hottest team in baseball winning 10 of their last 11. Tonight proved to be a bad night for the Brewers for a couple of reasons. First of all, they lost the game 7-3. Second, Travis Shaw left the game in the second inning with a dislocated shoulder, which means another Brewers’ position player will hit the injured list.

Things did look promising early. Reds’ starter, Vladimir Gutierrez hit Luis Urias with the first pitch of the game. Urias would advance to third on an Avisail Garcia single. Gutierrez would later balk allowing Urias to score from third.

That would be the last time the Brewers would lead in this game. The Reds answered in the bottom of the first. With one out, Jesse Winker dribbled a ball up the first base line that Brett Anderson fielded, but Winker beat him to the bag for an infield single. Nick Castellanos followed with a dribbler of his own to Anderson. This time the Brewers’ lefty tried to throw the ball to first. Unfortunately he threw it at the feet of Daniel Vogelbach who was unable to make the catch.

The Reds had runners on first and second on two softly hit balls fielded by the pitcher. The next hitter, Tyler Stephenson, actually hit the ball hard. Still right fielder, Avi Garcia, should have probably caught the ball. Instead the ball got by him, and Stephenson was credited with a double and an RBI as Winker scored. Castellanos came around to score as well when Joey Votto grounded out.

Brett Anderson struggled this evening. The plays that were not made in the first inning as well as a lack of command hurt him. While he only walked two, he was not in command. The result was five runs given up, four earned, over just three innings.

Anderson other three runs given up came in the bottom of the second. This inning was just bad all around. Scott Heineman led the inning off with a walk. Vladimir Gutierrez later beat out a single at first to make it first and second and one out. Then Jonathan India hit a ball down the third base line. Travis Shaw dived for it and dislocated his shoulder on the attempt. Teammates and coaches were visibly concerned.

Heineman scored, and India was credited with a single. Shaw was helped off the field obviously in significant pain. Gutierrez and India would later score with Castellanos doubled.

As mentioned Anderson would only last three innings. He was replaced by Eric Lauer. Lauer would give up two more runs over the four innings he covered. In the bottom of the fourth, Lauer recorded two quick outs. Then he walked Jesse Winker, and then Nick Castellanos. Both scored when Tyler Stephenson doubled for the second time on the night.

Milwaukee would add a couple more runs, the first of which came in the top of the fifth. Luis Urias led the inning off with a double. He would scamper to third on a wild pitch by Gutierrez. Avi Garcia would plate him with a sacrifice fly.

Daniel Vogelbach would take his frustration out on a high fastball by Reds’ reliever, Heath Hembree. Vogelbach saw multiple pitches called strikes that were well off the outside corner. His facial expressions throughout the night demonstrated his frustration with each called strike. In the top of the ninth, he got something in and up, and he launched it into the right field seats to make it a 7-3 ball game. Unfortunately that is how things would end.

Milwaukee will match up against the Reds again tomorrow MORNING looking to win the series. The Brewers will send Freddy Peralta to the mound. The Reds will send Luis Castillo. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 CT. The game can been seen on Bally Sports Wisconsin and heard on WTMJ 620 as well as the Brewers Radio Network.