Brewers lose to Reds 8-5

Box Score

The Brewers will officially go into the All-Star Break in second place in the division. They dropped a hard-fought game to the Reds 8-5 on Saturday afternoon.

The game started off well. Willy Adames hit a solo home run in the first inning to put the Brewers ahead 1-0. The Reds countered two innings later as Will Benson hit his own solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.

The Brewers pulled ahead again in the bottom of the third. Joey Wiemer singled to start the inning. Christian Yelich then doubled to bring in Wiemer, and the Brewers had a 2-1 lead. Two batters later, Willy Adames hit his second home run of the day and the Brewers had a 4-1 lead.

Again, that lead didn’t last for long. Elly De La Cruz singled to start the fourth, and Jake Fraley drew a walk. That set up Joey Votto for his own home run, a three-run shot that tied the game again at 4-4.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the fourth, the Brewers countered once again. Brian Anderson hit a one-out single, and Brice Turang brought him in with a triple. The Brewers had another lead at 5-4. The Reds again countered right away, as Matt McLain singled and Jake Fraley doubled to tie the game at 5-5.

All five of those runs ended up charged to Colin Rea, who pitched 4 ²⁄₃ innings. He also allowed seven hits and a walk, but added on seven strikeouts in the start. Bryse Wilson took over for Rea in the fifth. While he did allow the runner he inherited from Rea to score, he allowed nothing else in 1 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Unfortunately, the Brewers offense couldn’t push ahead again. They loaded the bases in the sixth but couldn’t get a run in. That was their last good scoring chance, as they didn’t have another runner get past first base.

Meanwhile, the Reds took full advantage. Against Elvis Peguero in the seventh, TJ Friedl and Matt McLain hit singles to start the inning. A double play erased McLain but moved Friedl up to third, and he would score on a single from Elly De La Cruz. From there, De La Cruz proceeded to steal second, third, and home in three pitches, and the Reds were up 7-5.

Abner Uribe made his MLB debut in the eighth inning, pitching a scoreless inning to start his career. He returned for the ninth, but allowed two singles and a sacrifice fly that put the Reds up 8-5, albeit with an assist after Milwaukee’s second balk of the game, resulting in an ejection for both Craig Counsell and Brian Anderson. That would hold for the final score of the game.

Willy Adames and Anderson each had two hits to account for four of the Brewers nine hits. Adames also added on three RBI between his two home runs.

Wade Miley will get the start for the Brewers last game before the All-Star Break. The Reds have not officially named their starter, but Ben Lively is expected to return from the IL to make the start. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.