Field Level Media
Jun 28, 2018
Milwaukee's Eric Thames continued his home run mastery over Reds pitching, belting a three-run blast to power the Brewers to a 6-4 comeback win in Cincinnati on Thursday night.
Thames' homer, his 13th in 20 games against Cincinnati dating back to last season, came against lefty Amir Garrett in relief of starter Anthony DeSclafani.
The win kept the first-place Brewers 2 1/2 games up on the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. The Reds saw a two-game winning streak snapped, though they have still won 9 of 11 and 12 of their last 16.
Thames' blast made a winner of right-hander Junior Guerra (4-5) for the first time since May 14. He lasted six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, with one walk and six strikeouts.
Milwaukee also got a two-run home run from Jesus Aguilar. It was his 19th, moving him into a tie for first in the NL, and his 10th in June. He also has 24 of his 54 RBIs this month.
DeSclafani took a 4-2 lead into the seventh but left with two runners on and one out. Garrett (0-1) got the first batter he faced before lefty-swinging Thames launched his 10th home run of the season to right-center field.
In 6 1/3 innings, DeSclafani allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Taylor Williams, Jeremy Jeffress and Corey Knebel combined for three scoreless innings of relief for the Brewers. Jeffress struck out three in 1 1/3 innings, and Knebel pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
Rookie Jesse Winker hit his sixth home run, and Jose Peraza hit his fourth, and his second in two games, for the Reds, who led 2-0 and 4-2 before the Brewers came back.
Aguilar had three of Milwaukee's eight hits overall.
The Brewers lost left fielder to Christian Yelich in the first inning to a lower back injury.
Also in the first inning, the benches and bullpens cleared briefly when Joey Votto argued a called strike by plate umpire Robert Ortiz. Erik Kratz, the Brewers' catcher, then had words with Votto, who was ejected on Wednesday in Atlanta for arguing a called strike.
There were no punches thrown, and just a few seconds of players milling around. There were no ejections, although both benches were warned.
--Field Level Media