CINCINNATI (AP) — John Lamb was in prime position to post his first major league win.

The 25-year-old Lamb couldn’t hold a four-run lead, however, and was gone by the time the Cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 Saturday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Lamb, one of three left-handers acquired by Cincinnati from Kansas City for ace Johnny Cueto in late July, gave up one run and four hits through the first five innings. But he was tagged for five hits in the sixth as the Brewers scored five times for a 6-5 lead.

“”The Brewers hit some good pitches,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “They got five hits in the inning and four of them were jam shots. Lamb made some good pitches but wasn’t rewarded for them.”

Lamb is 0-3 with a 6.11 ERA in five starts since making his big league debut after the deal. The Reds have lost each of those games.

“I was trying to execute pitches in the sixth inning. They got themselves on base and that’s all I’ve got to say about it. I’m disappointed with the results. I looked at the tape. There wasn’t much more I could do with those pitches,” Lamb said.

Elian Herrera hit a tiebreaking home run on reliever J.J. Hoover’s first pitch of the eighth.

“This type of game will tear you heart out,” Price said. “The good thing about baseball is we have a chance to win the second game and go home feeling good about ourselves.”

A day after the teams were rained out, the Brewers won their fifth in a row. They also have taken five straight at Cincinnati.

The Brewers overcame a 5-1 deficit in the sixth. Herrera had an RBI grounder and pinch hitter Adam Lind doubled to improve to .404 (19 for 47) with 16 RBIs against the Reds this season. Jean Segura capped the inning with a go-ahead single.

The Reds made it 6-all in the seventh against Jeremy Jeffress (5-0) on Skip Schumaker’s bases-loaded double-play ball. Herrera then greeted Hoover (7-1) with his sixth homer of the season and first since Aug. 9.

Domingo Santana added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

Will Smith pitched the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 34th save despite allowing one-out singles by Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, who finished with four hits.

Milwaukee’s rally allowed starter Matt Garza to avoid another defeat. He began the day tied with Philadelphia’s Aaron Harang for the most losses in the majors with 14.

Garza gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Eugenio Suarez had three hits and drove in two runs while the Reds were building a 5-1 lead through five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF Brennan Boesch began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville. The Reds placed Boesch on the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 31 with a bruised bone in his right ankle.

UP NEXT

Brewers: In Saturday’s second game, RHP Wily Peralta (5-8, 4.30) makes his first start since limiting Cincinnati to one run over seven innings of a 4-1 win last Sunday.

Reds: RHP Keyvius Sampson (2-2, 6.42) starts the second game. He’s seeking his first win in four starts since beating the Dodgers 10-3 on Aug. 13.

GET ON

Votto and Phillips combined to reach base nine times. Votto had two hits and two walks in his last four plate appearances. Phillips walked and had four hits. It was the 12th time in his career Phillips had four hits in a game.

 

 

Brewers 8, Reds 6

First Game

Milwaukee Cincinnati

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Segura ss 4 0 2 2 Bourgs cf 5 0 0 0

Lucroy c 5 0 0 0 Bruce rf 4 2 1 0

Braun rf 4 1 2 0 Votto 1b 3 2 2 0

KDavis lf 3 0 0 0 Phillips 2b 4 1 4 1

Jeffrss p 0 0 0 0 Frazier 3b 4 0 1 1

WSmith p 0 0 0 0 Schmkr lf 5 1 1 0

SPetrsn ph 1 0 0 0 Suarez ss 4 0 3 2

FrRdrg p 0 0 0 0 Brnhrt c 4 0 0 0

JRogrs 1b 5 2 3 0 JoLam p 2 0 0 0

DoSntn cf-lf 3 1 2 2 LeCure p 0 0 0 0

HPerez 3b 3 1 1 0 Duvall ph 1 0 0 0

Gennett ph-2b 2 0 1 0 Badnhp p 0 0 0 0

EHerrr 2b-3b 5 2 2 2 Hoover p 0 0 0 0

Garza p 2 0 0 0 DJssJr ph 1 0 0 0

Goforth p 0 0 0 0 Balestr p 0 0 0 0

Lind ph 1 1 1 2

CJimnz p 0 0 0 0

LSchfr cf 0 0 0 0

Totals 38 8 14 8 Totals 37 6 12 4

 

Milwaukee 000 015 011 — 8

Cincinnati 021 020 100 — 6

 

E—Segura (16), Schumaker (3). DP—Milwaukee 1, Cincinnati 1. LOB—Milwaukee 9, Cincinnati 9. 2B—Braun (24), E.Herrera (15), Lind (29), Suarez (16). 3B—J.Rogers (2). HR—E.Herrera (6). SB—Braun 2 (22), K.Davis (4). SF—Do.Santana, Frazier.

IP H R ER BB SO

Milwaukee

Garza 4 2-3 7 5 4 4 2

Goforth 1-3 0 0 0 0 1

C.Jimenez H,3 1 0 0 0 0 2

Jefres W,5-0 BS,3-3 1 3 1 1 0 0

W.Smith H,17 1 0 0 0 0 1

Fr.Rodriguez S,34-35 1 2 0 0 0 1

Cincinnati

Jo.Lamb 5 2-3 9 6 6 2 4

LeCure 1-3 1 0 0 0 0

Badenhop 1 1 0 0 1 0

Hoover L,7-1 1 1 1 1 1 0

Balester 1 2 1 1 0 2

HBP—by Hoover (L.Schafer). WP—Goforth.

Umpires—Home, Gerry Davis; First, Toby Basner; Second, Jim Wolf; Third, Phil Cuzzi.

T—3:27. A—28,632 (42,319).