Brewers 9, Reds 5: Big night for Joe Ross and the offense
CINCINNATI – There was a lot to like about the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Joe Ross turned in a superlative effort by becoming the first starter to pitch into the seventh this season and the offense put up more big numbers in a 9-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
In 6 ⅓ innings, Ross allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and a walk with seven strikeouts to earn his first victory since June 29, 2021.
Christian Yelich and Blake Perkins drove in three runs apiece while Perkins and Sal Frelick had three hits and Yelich a pair.
Through the first two games of the series the Brewers have amassed 17 runs on 25 hits.
Things got interesting in the ninth inning as the Reds put two on with nobody out against Abner Uribe, but Uribe recovered by striking out the next three batters.
Cincinnati now making things interesting
Elvis Peguero allowed a single and a pair of doubles, upping his pitch count to 36 and allowing the Reds to climb to within 9-5 in the eighth.
Bryan Hudson entered and halted the bleeding, however.
BOX SCORE: Brewers 9, Reds 5
Joe Ross makes it into the seventh
Ross's pitch count was at 80 when he took to the mound for the seventh and his defense did him no favors by allowing Elly De La Cruz to reach on an error to start.
A single and flyout followed, ending Ross's night and bringing on Peguero, who immediately allowed a two-RBI double that made it 9-3 and closed the book on the starter.29, 2021.
Jake Bauers breaks the game open
Any doubt was eliminated in the seventh as five of Milwaukee's first six batters reached base, with Jake Bauers driving in two of them with a double to right and Sal Frelick plating another with his second single.
That made it a 9-1 game.
Blake Perkins having quite a night
Montas was through after five innings and 96 pitches. Frelick welcomed his replacement, Carson Spiers, with a single and then went to second on a passed ball.
That was big, as Blake Perkins singled to center to score Frelick and make it a 6-1 game. That left Perkins 3 for 3 with three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base on the night.
Milwaukee tacks on a couple more
A leadoff bunt single by Perkins was followed by what would probably have been a double-play grounder by William Contreras. But De La Cruz threw the ball past a covering Jonathan India and down the right-field line, allowing the runners to move into scoring position for Yelich.
He followed by pulling a double to right, upping the Brewers' advantage to 5-1.
Ross bends but doesn't break
The Reds appeared to be on the verge of at least tying the game in the fourth after surrendering a couple singles and then a one-out double to De La Cruz.
But he buckled down and struck out both Spencer Steer and Nick Martini to limit Cincinnati to a single run.
The Brewers strike first
Montas had allowed one run through his first two starts but surrendered three in the third thanks to some quality small ball by the Brewers.
Frelick started things off with a walk, Brice Turang doubled and Perkins followed by singling both in. Perkins then stole second, went to third on a groundout and with two outs scored on Yelich's single to right.
Brewers lineup
Oliver Dunn 3B
William Contreras C
Christian Yelich LF
Willy Adames SS
Jake Bauers 1B
Rhys Hoskins DH
Sal Frelick RF
Brice Turang 2B
Blake Perkins CF
Reds lineup
Jonathan India 2B
Will Benson CF
Jake Fraley RF
Elly De La Cruz SS
Spencer Steer LF
Nick Martini DH
Brewers schedule
Brewers at Reds, 5:40 p.m. Wednesday. Milwaukee TBA vs. Cincinnati RHP Hunter Greene (0-0, 2.53). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers at Reds, 12:10 p.m. Thursday. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (1-0, 3.09) vs. Cincinnati RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 7.20). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers at Orioles, 6:05 p.m. Friday. Milwaukee LHP DL Hall (0-1, 4.82) vs. Baltimore TBA. Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers 9, Reds 5: Big night for Joe Ross and the offense
