Milwaukee 13, Cincinnati 7
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, May 7, 2016
Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Temperature:
73°
Umpires:
Home -
Jim Wolf, 1B -
Sean Barber, 2B -
Adrian Johnson, 3B -
Gary Cederstrom
Attendance:
27567
By The Sports Xchange
CINCINNATI – Aaron Hill's approach at the plate recently is to keep things simple. So, despite homering in his previous two at-bats Saturday, he wasn't about to change things up with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.
"For me, I try to simplify it, see the ball up and put a good swing on it," Hill said. "I'm just thinking put it out in the outfield somewhere."
Hill did one better, depositing a pitch from Caleb Cotham an estimated 361 feet into the left-field seats for his second career grand slam, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 13-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
"He got himself in some good counts and did damage," said manager Craig Counsell. "We've liked his at-bats. I don't know if I could predict (a night like this), it's like seeing a dolphin in Lake Michigan, or something."
It was Hill's sixth career multi-homer game. His seven RBIs tied a franchise record for a game.
Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy also went deep for Milwaukee (12-18), which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Brandon Phillips homered twice for Cincinnati (13-18) extending his streak of four straight games with a homer.
Milwaukee trailed 6-2 in the sixth but rallied behind a solo homer by Lucroy and a two-run shot by Hill to make it a one-run game. It was Hill's first homer since April 20.
Hill then homered in his next at-bat in the eighth off J.C. Ramirez to tie the score 6-6.
Brewers hitting coach Darnell Coles recently has worked with Hill on a few minor adjustments at the plate. "We've been happy with the at-bats," Hill said. "The results just haven't been there."
Reds starter Brandon Finnegan was in line for his second victory before Hill's home run made him the victim of a blown save for the third time this season.
Moments after Hill's grand slam, pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar's bases-loaded double drove home three more runs to complete a seven-run 10th.
After snapping a streak of 23 straight games in which their bullpen had given up at least one run on Friday night, Reds relievers allowed seven earned runs on Saturday.
The Reds' options were limited because left-hander Tony Cingrani who earned his first career save on Friday night, and right-hander Blake Wood needed rest.
"I can't go to the well every day with the same guys," manager Bryan Price said. "I didn't want to use Cotham, but I wanted to take one shot with him. It didn't work out."
Jeremy Jeffress (1-0) got the win for Milwaukee. Cotham (0-2) did not retire a batter while allowing five earned runs, including Hill's grand slam.
Jimmy Nelson was about the only Brewers starter not struggling out of the gate this season. But he got pushed around Saturday.
In the first inning, Billy Hamilton reached on a walk for the Reds. The speedster then stole second and then third before racing home on Lucroy's errant throw to make the score 1-0.
In the second, Jay Bruce doubled and scored on a double-play grounder. Finnegan's fifth hit of the season drove home another run, putting Cincinnati ahead 3-0.
"In the first three innings I couldn't get the sinker down and they hit some balls hard," Nelson said. "I feel like if I didn't go seven innings I didn't do my job. The offense, and the bullpen picked me up."
Phillips homered for the fourth straight game for the first time in his career when he launched Nelson's first pitch in the third out to left center with two outs in the third to make it a four-run game.
"He's something to watch," Price said. "He's been working real hard to stay on the ball. He's not just hitting mistakes, either. He's hitting good pitches."
Braun's solo homer, his sixth home run of the season, made the score 4-1 in the fourth.
"I didn't have my best stuff," Finnegan said. "I tried to battle through with what I had."
NOTES: The Reds optioned struggling RHP J.J. Hoover to Triple-A Louisville. He had a 14.34 ERA with six homers allowed in 10 2/3 innings. ... RHP Drew Hayes was recalled from Triple-A to fill Hoover's spot in the bullpen. ... The Reds also selected the contract of RHP Steve Delabar from Triple-A, placed RHP Jon Moscot on the 15-day disabled list and transferred C Devin Mesoraco to the 60-day DL. Mesoraco is scheduled for surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. ... Brewers LHP Michael Kirkman, who was claimed off waivers from San Diego on Thursday, reported to the team on Saturday.
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Milwaukee
|
15 |
5 |
32 |
.326 |
15 |
8 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Cincinnati
|
11 |
2 |
18 |
.275 |
14 |
10 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
3 |