Braun’s 10th Home Run Leads Brewers Over Reds

Jun 14, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez (27) catches ball hit by Cincinnati Reds catcher Brayan Pena (not pictured) in front of second baseman Scooter Gennett (2) in the fifth inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati ace Mat Latos came to Milwaukee with the Reds to make his first start of the season after suffering a tear in the meniscus of his left knee. Latos certainly made it a show worth watching, allowing just two hits in his six innings of work going toe-to-toe with Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo (4-4, 3.69 ERA).

The Brewers got to the Reds bullpen to make a game of it and Ryan Braun smacked a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Crew on top permanently for the 4-2 win.

Billy Hamilton opened the game by doubling to the gap in left-center. Gallardo put down Todd Frazier, Joey Votto before Brandon Phillips singled to center to drive in Hamilton. Gallardo got Jay Bruce to ground out to end the inning.

Latos put the Brewers down without incident in the bottom of the first.

Ryan Ludwick opened the second with the Reds’ second double off Gallardo. Brayan Pena singled on a slow roller to short, but was erased on a double-play grounder hit by Zack Cozart.  Ludwick moved to third on the play, but was stranded on a Latos fly out.

After a Carlos Gomez line out to center, Aramis Ramirez picked up the Brewers first hit with a single to left. Khris Davis struck out and Lyle Overbay popped out to end the inning.

Billy Hamilton walked to open the third, but was picked off for the first out. Gallardo closed the inning by striking out Frazier and Votto. Latos had another one-two-three inning to close out the third inning.

Gallardo worked around a Bruce walk, and caught stealing, for the only action in the top of the fourth. Latos cruised through the heart of the Brewer order to close out the fourth.

Gallardo came right back in the fifth and put the Reds down in order, notching another two strike outs. Latos returned the favor in the bottom of the fifth, making it 11 straight Brewers’ retired since Ramirez single in the second inning.

Votto and Phillips hit back-to-back, two-out singles in the top of the sixth, but Bruce lined out to end the frame. Latos’ streak of Brewers set down ended at 13 when with two-outs in the bottom of the frame Scooter Gennett doubled, but a Ryan Braun fly out ended the inning.

Gallardo had another good inning in the sixth, putting the Reds down in order and adding another strike out. Latos’ day was done after six and the Reds brought in Logan Ondrusek for the seventh inning.

Lucroy walked to open the Brewer half of the fifth, and Gomez singled to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, and move Lucroy to second. Ramirez flew out to center to advance both runners a base. Davis followed with a bounce out to short to bring in Lucroy.

Davis was out on the play, and Gomez stayed at second. That was it for Ondrusek as the Reds called for Manny Parra.  That precipitated Brewers manager Ron Roenicke bringing in pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks for Lyle Overbay.

Gomez moved to third on a wild pitch by Parra. Weeks bounced a single to left to bring in Gomez and give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. Jean Segura grounded to short to end the inning.

With the Brewers freshly in the lead, Will Smith came on to pitch. After a quick out to pinch-hitter Chris Heisley, Hamilton popped a home run to tie the game. It was the first home run given up by Smith this season. Smith struck out Frazier and Votto to end the inning.

J.J. Hoover came on for the Reds to toss the bottom of the eighth. He struck out Reynolds ahead of a Gennett double on a pop fly. Hamilton tried to make a diving catch on the pop fly and missed, allowing Gennett to get a double.

Braun followed by crushing an opposite field home run (10) to put the Brewers back on top 4-2. Lucroy and Gomez both went down to end the inning.

Fransisco Rodriguez, predictably, came out to pitch the ninth for Milwaukee. He put the Reds down in order.