The Milwaukee Brewers will continue their grind toward a second straight National League Central title and their third in four seasons when they visit the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game series.
On Friday, the Brewers battled through 90-degree, humid conditions in a day-night doubleheader, coming through with a 5-4, 10-inning win in the first game, using five relievers following starter Colin Rea.
Bryan Hudson, Joel Payamps, Jared Koenig and Trevor Megill each posted scoreless innings before Devin Williams entered the game in the 10th and kept the free runner from scoring to seal the win and his seventh save in eight chances since returning from a stress fracture in his back.
Even with a game at night, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy played aggressively with his bullpen for the win.
“That’s just how Murph manages,” Williams said. “The opportunity for a win was there, so he went for it. I think all the players would get behind something like that.”
In the nightcap, the Brewers hit four homers — two in a 10-run ninth inning — to complete the doubleheader sweep with a 14-0 rout of the Reds.
On Saturday, the Brewers will have a former Reds pitcher on the mound, hoping to continue the misery for Cincinnati, losers of four of five on a 10-game homestand and seven of the past nine overall.
Saturday’s Milwaukee starter, right-hander Frankie Montas (6-9, 4.64 ERA), is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts with the Brewers since being acquired from Cincinnati on July 30 for reliever Jakob Junis, outfielder Joey Wiemer and cash.
Montas will make his 25th start of the season. In his most recent start on Sunday at Oakland, he was charged with the loss as the A’s won 4-3. Montas pitched six innings, giving up four runs and five hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
The veteran never has pitched against the Reds, one of just two teams he has not faced.
With three starters on the injured list, the Reds are dealing with a rotation in chaos and often don’t know their starting pitcher until the day of the game. Manager David Bell didn’t announce a starter following Friday night’s blowout loss, but right-hander Fernando Cruz (3-8, 5.17 ERA) is expected to start.
“I mean it’s OK in certain respects,” said catcher Luke Maile, referring to battling through pitching issues. “It’s not OK to continue to produce results like this at the same time, right? … We’re still together. We love each other here. You guys have written about that a million times. It is a great clubhouse. All that stuff’s good. No problem. We gotta play better. It’s just that simple.”
Called upon to pitch in a mop-up role, Maile surrendered six runs on six hits and recorded the final two outs in the ninth Friday night.
Both teams are dealing with injuries suffered in Friday’s doubleheader.
The Brewers kept star rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio out of the second game as a precaution after Chourio turned his right ankle trying to beat out a ground ball in the first game.
The Reds lost infielder Santiago Espinal when he fouled a ball off his right leg and had to leave with a deep bruise. X-rays were negative, and he is considered day-to-day.
–Field Level Media