Reds comeback falls short in 10-8 loss to Brewers

Published 8:18 pm Saturday, June 3, 2023

CINCINNATI (AP) — Blake Perkins hit a grand slam for his first career homer and drove in five runs, helping the Milwaukee Brewers top the Cincinnati Reds 10-8 on Saturday.

William Contreras also went deep in Milwaukee’s third win in four games. Colin Rea (3-3) pitched five innings of three-run ball for the NL Central leaders, and Devin Williams closed it out after the bullpen faltered.

Brewers first baseman Jon Singleton went 1 for 4 and scored a run in his first major league game since 2015 with Houston. Singleton and Perkins were promoted from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday, and first baseman Darin Ruf and outfielder Tyrone Taylor were placed on the 10-day injured list.

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Singleton missed the 2018-2020 seasons after his second suspension for violating the minor leagues’ drug policies. After playing in Mexico in 2021, he joined the Brewers’ system.

Jonathan India drove in three runs for Cincinnati, and rookie Matt McLain finished with two hits and scored three times. Jake Fraley homered, and Spencer Steer had two hits and two RBIs.

The Reds (26-32) have dropped three in a row since a five-game win streak. They had 11 hits, 10 walks and nine steals, but were unable to overcome another shaky start by Graham Ashcraft (3-4).

The nine steals were the most for the team they swiped nine bags against the Dodgers in 1976 and one shy of the team record set in 1913 against St. Louis.

Perkins hit an RBI single in the second and then capped Milwaukee’s five-run third with a drive to right that gave the Brewers a 9-1 lead. Contreras’ seventh homer made it 10-3 in the fourth.

Ashcraft (3-4) was tagged for a career-high 10 runs in four innings. He allowed nine hits, struck out two and walked four while dropping to 1-3 in his last four starts.

India’s two-run single trimmed Cincinnati’s deficit to 10-6 in the eighth. Steer hit an RBI single in the ninth against Jake Cousins and pinch-hitter T.J. Hopkins managed a bases-loaded walk against Williams, bringing home another run.

But Williams then struck out Kevin Newman and McLain for his 10th save.

Rea allowed six hits, struck out five and walked three in his third straight win.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Ruf has a right knee laceration, and Taylor is dealing with a right elbow strain.

Reds: OF TJ Friedl (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and LHP Nick Lodolo (left calf) was transferred to the 60-day IL.

UP NEXT

Brewers RHP Adrian Houser (1-1) is scheduled to face Reds RHP Ben Lively (3-2) on Sunday.

Milwaukee Cincinnati
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Yelich lf 4 1 1 1 Newman 2b 5 0 1 1
Miller 2b 5 0 0 1 McLain ss 5 3 2 0
Turang ss 0 0 0 0 India dh 5 0 1 3
Tellez dh 5 0 2 1 Fraley rf 4 2 3 1
Contreras c 4 2 2 1 Steer 1b 3 1 2 2
Anderson 3b 4 1 1 0 Senzel 3b 5 0 1 0
Singleton 1b 4 1 1 0 Fairchild cf 3 1 0 0
Monasterio ss-2b 4 1 1 0 Stephenson ph 1 0 0 0
Wiemer cf 2 2 1 1 Benson lf 3 0 1 0
Perkins rf 4 2 2 5 Casali c 2 1 0 0
Hopkins ph 0 0 0 1
Totals 36 10 11 10 Totals 36 8 11 8

Milwaukee 135 100 000 10
Cincinnati 102 003 002 8

DP–Milwaukee 1, Cincinnati 1. LOB–Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 12. 3B–McLain (1). HR–Perkins (1), Contreras (7), Fraley (6). SB–Yelich (13), Fraley 3 (11), Steer 2 (3), Benson (3), Fairchild (7), India 2 (11). SF–Newman (2).

IP H R ER BB SO
Milwaukee
Rea W,3-3 5 6 3 3 3 5
Megill 1 1 3 3 3 0
Wilson 2 2 0 0 1 0
Cousins 0 2 2 2 1 0
Williams S,10-10 1 0 0 0 2 3
Cincinnati
Ashcraft L,3-4 4 9 10 10 4 2
Salazar 3 1 0 0 0 1
Herget 2 1 0 0 0 0

Cousins pitched to 3 batters in the 9th.

HBP–Salazar (Contreras). WP–Cousins.

Umpires–Home, John Libka; First, Clint Vondrak; Second, James Hoye; Third, D.J. Reyburn.

T–2:58. A–25,485 (43,891).