The Brewers have won 12 of 17 games against the Reds this season and over the past five seasons they are 28-12 in GABP. And the Reds have lost 12 of their last 15 games.
Mike Minor was Cincinnati’s scheduled starter, but started the day on the injured list (shoulder) and Luis Cessa was his stand-in.
In addition to losing Minor, the Reds lost outfielder Nick Senzel for the rest of the season with a fractured left sesamoid. The Reds have used the injured list 55 times involving 36 different players.
The Reds gave Cessa a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but they were to score no more and Cessa was pegged with the loss after giving up three runs (two earned), six hits, four walks and striking out three in 4 2/3 innings.
The Brewers owned 40 home runs in the first 16 games against the Reds, including three Thursday by Kolten Wong.
They didn’t hit a home run Friday but didn’t need any. They used singles and doubles en route to 11 hits for their five runs. Reds pitchers contributed six walks and the Brewers stole four bases.
In contrast, the Reds had only seven hits and only Stuart Fairchild, with two hits, had more than one.
Milwaukee starter Eric Lauer, a Kent State University product, was coming off the injured list and displayed a need for Rustoleum in the first inning.
The Reds sent eight batters to the plate, a chance for a big inning, but scored only two runs and left the bases loaded.
Four of the first five Reds reached base. Jonathan India walked on four pitches, Spencer Steer singled and Kyle Farmer doubled and the Reds had a 2-0 lead with no outs.
Aristides Aquino, batting fourth despite a 0-for-23 slump and a .197 batting average, struck out. Fairchild walked, Alejo Lopez flied out and Matt Reynolds walked to fill the bases. Jose Barrero, 2-for-22, flied out.
The Brewers tied it, 2-2, in the second. Cessa issued a one-out walk to Andrew McCutchen and gave up a single to Luis Urias. Victor Caratini lined one into the right field, scoring McCutchen and Urias scored when Aquino’s throw home was 20 feet to the right of home plate.
Milwaukee barged ahead, 3-2, in the fifth when Cessa gave up back-to-back singles to Rowdy Tellez (a slow roller up the third-base line) and Hunter Renfroe.
With one out and runners on third and first, McCutchen grounded into a force play as Tellez scored, the 1,000th career RBI for McCutchen.
And McCutchen didn’t stop there. Relief pitcher Buck Farmer walked Renfroe with one out and Kolten Wong singled. McCutchen shot a double into the left field corner for two runs, career RBI 1,001 and 1,002 and a 5-2 Brewers lead.
The Reds scored a run in the eighth against relief pitcher Matt Bush. With one out, Aquino walked and Fairchild singled. Lopez grounded into a force play, but Aquino scored when second baseman Wong threw away the relay to first. That cut Milwaukee’s lead to 5-3.
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell brought in Devin Williams, his bullpen stopper, to face pinch-hitter T.J. Friedl and he popped up to end the inning.
Williams was back out for the ninth. He struck out Barrero, struck out Jake Fraley and struck out India for his 14th save.
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