CINCINNATI — When it comes to facing the Brewers in a row this year, the Reds will only get a bite from the apple. It certainly hasn’t tasted very good so far.
The final bitter shock came on Sunday during a 4-3 loss at Great American Ball Park that capped Milwaukee’s three-game win. The Brewers have won each of the last four games and eight of ten games of the season series.
“They beat us up, there’s no hiding that,” Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson said. “You did well. We have confidence. If we go back there, we have to prove ourselves again.”
The Brewers, two games behind Cincinnati on July 6, have carved out a two-game lead in the race for the National League Central as the Reds missed an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and their closest rival.
“I think it will only give us even more motivation to play them next time,” Reds starting pitcher Ben Lively said. “There’s no way we’re going to let it happen again.” It was a tough question.”
Lively, who went four solid innings with one run allowed on a home run by Christian Yelich early in the third, retired with cramps as a precaution before the fifth inning. He is expected to make his next launch.
The Reds’ offense finally showed some sign of life after three straight shutout losses to the Brewers, including one before the All-Star break, but a defensive error by center fielder TJ Friedl meant the Brewers started the run.
Cincinnati had a 3-2 lead early in the eighth inning as Milwaukee had runners on the corners. Owen Miller led a sacrificial flight into deep midfield. After catching the ball, Friedl made an ambitious throw to the plate, past the cut-off man, and Willy Adames scored with ease. This allowed pinch runner Tyrone Taylor to advance to second base. Taylor made the game-winning difference on Andruw Monasterio’s two-out RBI single.
“TJ was trying to make a play,” Reds manager David Bell said. “We encourage our outfielders and all of our defenders to make plays and not be afraid of not making plays. In that situation, if he had to do it again, he makes the throw to the second player and keeps the bishop in at first.” TJ will learn from that. He’s such a smart player. He does so many things right on the baseball field.”
Cincinnati scored their first extra base hit of the series in the second inning when Joey Votto’s RBI double hit the wall in left midfield Jonathan India. 28 innings ended the Reds’ record streak this season. Jake Fraley’s two-run home run in the third inning gave the Reds a 3-1 lead.
“It was great to get back on the board. There are definitely signs,” Bell said. “Today was a good day in that regard. It felt like a game where we usually score all the time, but we couldn’t. That made it difficult for our bullpen. We did that all year long. We.” I will do this again.
On the plus side, the Reds’ starting lineup has been strong in their last four losses to Milwaukee — with five earned runs allowed over 21 2/3 innings. A notable downside was that the offense batted .117 and had 51 strikeouts in those same games.
The final series between the division’s top two clubs will take place in Milwaukee on July 24-26. Aside from the Brewers, the Reds still have work to do for the rest of this month.
First up is a four-game series against a very hot Giants team that has won five straight games. On July 21-23, the D-Backs are coming to town for three games. Then come the Brewers again, followed by a three-game streak against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
If the regular season ended today, all four opponents would be in the postseason. The Reds would be out.
“We just have to play good baseball. “We’re more than capable of winning these games,” said Spencer Steer, Reds first baseman. “You have hot thugs and all of a sudden they go ice cold.” It’s just the way things go sometimes. You have to keep working hard and finding ways to win some of the upcoming games.”