MILWAUKEE (AP) — Santiago Espinal had two RBIs and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat Milwaukee 4-3 on Sunday to snap the NL Central-leading Brewers’ five-game winning streak.
The Reds avoided a sweep and beat the Brewers for just the 12th time in their last 47 meetings. The Brewers won two of three from the Reds this weekend for their ninth straight series victory against them.
Tyler Stephenson homered for Cincinnati, and Joey Ortiz had a two-run shot for Milwaukee.
The Reds broke a 3-all tie against Joe Ross (2-6) in the seventh inning. After Espinal hit a leadoff single and advanced to second when Jonathan India grounded out, Ross walked Elly De La Cruz intentionally and Tyler Stephenson unintentionally to load the bases. Espinal scored on Spencer Steer’s sacrifice fly to the left-field warning track.
The Brewers hit into inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth before Alexis Díaz retired the side in order in the ninth for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
Milwaukee’s William Contreras was ejected from the game by home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after grounding into a double play in the eighth.
DL Hall pitched for the Brewers for the first time since April 20 after spending nearly four months on the injured list. Hall hurt a knee while fielding a bunt back in April and had some setbacks that delayed his return.
Hall had a career-high nine strikeouts and worked 4 2/3 innings in his sixth career start, but he was unable to protect an early 2-0 lead. Ortiz had put Milwaukee ahead with his two-run homer off Nick Lodolo in the second inning.
Cincinnati tied the game in the fourth. After Steer singled, Stuart Fairchild walked and TJ Friedl was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Espinal knocked home two runs with a two-out single to shallow center.
Stephenson put the Reds ahead with two outs in the fifth when he sent a 2-2 fastball over the right-field wall.
The Brewers tied the game in the sixth. Gary Sánchez walked and advanced to third on a Contreras double before the Reds removed Lodolo from the game. Willy Adames then greeted Buck Farmer (2-0) with a bloop hit to left that brought home Sánchez.
The Brewers had runners on third and second with one out but couldn’t take the lead. Espinal fielded Blake Perkins’ bouncer to second and threw Contreras out at the plate before Ortiz ended the inning by grounding to third.
TRAINER’S ROOM
The Brewers made room for Hall by placing LHP Hoby Milner on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Friday with let shoulder impingement. The Brewers also transferred RHP Enoli Paredes to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Reds: Return home for a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (9-9, 3.70 ERA) will start against Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (11-6, 3.65).
Brewers: Start a four-game home series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brewers RHP Freddy Peralta (7-6, 4.02) goes against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 4.38) on Monday.
