After a solid 6-2 start, the Milwaukee Brewers headed to Cincinnati for a four-game series with the Reds. The Brewers brought eight runs across throughout the fifth, sixth, and seventh inning. However, the Reds compiled 10 runs, and never allowed the Brewers to lead once in this 10-8 losing effort. Milwaukee will look to bounce back in their second game of this four-game series, but it may not be such an easy task.
Milwaukee drops to 6-3 after their game-one loss to the Reds. Cincinnati now improves to 6-4. The Reds sit a half-game out from the Brewers for that second-place spot in the NL Central while being two and a half games back from the NL Central-leading 9-2 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Milwaukee Brewers Willpower Isn’t Enough in 10-8 Loss to the Reds
Through the first inning, both teams would go scoreless. During the bottom of the second inning, Reds second baseman Santiago Espinal hit into an RBI groundout. In the very next at-bat, Cincinnati’s designated hitter Will Benson crushed a solo home run that landed in the right field seats. After two innings of play, the Reds already held a 2-0 advantage. Their lead would only grow two innings later as in the bottom of the fourth inning, Espinal clutched out a two-run sacrifice bunt attempt. The bunt went to Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz, but his wild throw past first base would be the reason why two additional runs scored.
Benson, in the next at-bat, doubled to right field which allowed a run to score. The rally for the Reds continued as left fielder Spencer Steer crushed a two-run double into the left-center gap, making it a 7-0 game. With Cincinnati’s third baseman Jeimer Candelario up at the plate, Candelario ripped a line drive past Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins, which allowed Steer to score, and bring the Reds lead now up to eight. This play winded being chalked up as a fielding error. Regardless, the Milwaukee Brewers were on the outside looking it at this point in the game.
Brewers Start to Come Back
During the top of the fifth inning, Brewers second baseman Brice Turang belted his first home run of the 2024 regular season, a two-run shot to right-center field. This finally put Milwaukee on the board, nonetheless, they were still down six runs at this point. Three batters later, Brewers catcher, William Contreras hit an RBI single into right field, bringing the Reds lead to 8-3. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz crushed a solo shot to center field, making it a six-run lead for the Reds once again.
Brice Turang brought in another two runs for the Brewers, this time it was a two-run double that landed near the left-field wall. Turang would fly home, as Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft intended to get the out at first base but received a throwing error in the process after he threw the baseball past first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. During the top of the seventh inning, Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich hauled a two-run home run out to left field, making it a one-run game for Milwaukee with the score at 9-8 with two and a half innings remaining.
Reds Take Game One of the Four-Game Series
The final run of this game came at the bottom of the seventh inning. Elly De La Cruz hit a fly ball into center field, Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick tried to dive for the ball and missed, which allowed De La Cruz to fly around the base paths and score on an inside-the-park home run. Milwaukee could not muster anything in the final two innings of play as they would fall 10-8.
Graham Ashcraft pitched five and two third innings for the Reds. He allowed five runs on nine hits, and a walk while striking out six batters. After Ashcraft was pulled from the mound, the Brewers were only able to string together three hits. Milwaukee Brewers starter Aaron Ashby pitched three and two third innings allowing four runs on six hits, and two walks while striking out two batters in the loss.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @KeithBrunnerJr., follow us @WiSportsHeroics. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Go Brews Go!
