Reds 14 Brewers 11
The Reds took 2 of 3 from the 1st place Brewers with a 14-11 win at GABP Wednesday afternoon and made it back-to-back series wins. It didn't come easily.
The Reds jumped to a 7-0 lead after two innings. The Brewers rallied to 8-5 by the 8th inning. The Reds tacked on six runs in the bottom of the 8th to extend their lead to 14-5. But the Brewers made things dicey by scoring six runs in the 9th inning without an out being recorded. They pounded Dauri Moreta for five runs to make it 14-10 with no outs. Joel Kuhnel allowed another run, but finally stopped the bleeding by recording the final three outs.
After winning 3 of their first 25 games, the Reds have won 4 of their last 6. They stand 7-24 overall.
Fast start: The Reds pounced on Brewers pitcher Adrian House for seven runs in the first two innings. The scored a season-high four runs in the first inning. Tyler Stephenson started the scoring with a two-out double to score TJ Friedl (1B) and then Tyler Naquin cleared the bases with a three-run triple to put the Reds up 4-0. Stephenson added a two-out/three-run double in the 2nd inning.
Offense: Season high 14 runs on 14 hits....scored a season high 4 runs in the 1st, 3 in 2nd and 6 in 8th. Scored in double figures for the second time in three games. 14 hits...3 2B, 3B, HR, 3 K, 7 BB.
Stephenson 3 H, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI, R. He's up to .328.
Friedl reached base four times, recording his first career three hit game and a walk. He led off the game with a single and scored. He then bunted for a hit, stole 2nd base and scored in the 2nd inning. It was his second two-strike bunt hit this season. He singled and was thrown out trying to stretch it for a double in 6th.
Tommy Pham 3 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB...Colin Moran 2 H, 3-run HR (4th since Sunday), 3 R, BB....Naquin 2 H, 3 RBI...Brandon Drury 3 BB, 2 R.
Small ball, ya'll: Moran doubled and scored in the 5th inning after he was bunted to 3rd by Naquin and brought home on a Kyle Farmer sacrifice fly.
Struggle: Vladimir Gutierrez 4.2 IN, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR, 87 pitches/56 strikes. He was given a 7-0 lead as he went to work in the 3rd inning, but he gave three runs back on a HR to Christian Yelich and another on a solo shot to Hunter Renfroe in the 4th inning to cut it to 7-4. He was shaky from jump, giving up two doubles in the first inning. But Kolten Wong was thrown out attempting to steal 3rd base after doubling on the first pitch of the game and not on base when Christian Yelich followed with a double. Gutierrez exited with the bases loaded an one out in the 5th.
How 'bout the rookie? Alexis Díaz inherited a bases-loaded/two out 5th inning situation from Gutierrez and got a K to end the threat.
1.1 IN, 1 BB, 2 K. 16 pitches/11 strikes. ERA dips to 0.59.
Twice ain't nice: Renfroe clubbed his second homer of the day off Jeff Hoffman in the 8th inning to make it 8-5 Reds.
Cycle: Yelich reached the cycle with a triple in the 9th....his third career cycle.....all against the Reds.
Brutal: Moreta 0.0, 5 H, 5 R......2 HR...he was yanked after not retiring a batter in the 9th....he's allowed 7 HR in 13.2 innings.