Reds Crush Brewers as Estrada, Bullpen Collapse

Jun 15, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier (21) is greeted by first baseman Joey Votto (19) after hitting a two-run homer in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee came into the rubber match of the three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds having won or tied five of their last six series. The Brewers won two of three games against the Mets, Pirates, Cubs, Orioles and Marlins going back to May 23rd.

In that time they had a 2-2 series split with Minnesota.  You have to go back to May 19-22 to find a losing series for the Crew, as the Brewers lost three of four to the Braves.

The rubber match pitted Mike Leake (3-6, 3.61 ERA) taking on Marco Estrada (5-3, 4.56 ERA).

Unfortunately for the Brewers the home run bug is alive and well in Marco Estrada. He gave up three more home runs, and the Brewer bullpen didn’t provide much support as the Reds ran away with it, 13-4.

Billy Hamilton, who homered yesterday off Will Smith (Smith’s first HR against this season), led off the game with a wall scraping home run (4) to right off Estrada. It was Marco’s league-leading 21st home run against.

After a Todd Frazier fly out to Ryan Braun, Joey Votto singled to right and scored on a Brandon Phillips (5) home run. Jay Bruce popped out to Segura, and Ryan Ludwick restarted the offense with a two-out double to left.

The inning, mercifully, ended when Khris Davis laid out and made a diving catch on a Devin Mesoraco line drive. Leake put the Brewers down without incident in the bottom of the frame.

After a long fly out to center by Zack Cozart, Estrada struck out Leake and Hamilton to end the top of the second. Gomez doubled to open the bottom of the second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but that is where he stayed as Leake got out of the inning.

Estrada worked around a Phillips single in the third to hold the Reds’ lead to three. With one out Estrada walked, and advanced to second on an infield single by Scooter Gennett.

Estrada moved to third on a fly out to right by Braun, but that is where he stayed as the inning ended with a Jonathan Lucory pop out. The Reds still held a 3-0 lead.

The Reds managed only a Mesoraco single in the fourth. Gomez led off with a sharp single to center but was doubled off first after a long fly ball by Ramirez.  Gomez was past second when Bruce made the catch and Bruce’s throw beat Gomez back to first by a couple of feet.

Davis followed with a single to left with two outs. Mark Reynolds followed with a double to left, moving Davis to third. The Reds intentionally walked Jean Segura to get to Marco Estrada.

The move backfired and Marco knocked an infield single deep in the hole between second and short to bring in Davis and leave the bases loaded for the top of the order.

Scooter Gennett followed with a double down the line in left to bring in Davis and Reynolds to tie the game at three and move Estrada to third. Braun popped out to end the inning with the game freshly tied.

The tie didn’t last long, as Hamilton singled to open the fifth and Todd Frazier launched his 15th home run of the season, Estrada’s third of the game, to put the Reds back on top 5-3.

Lucroy led off the Brewer half of the frame with his sixth home run of the season to put the Crew back within one. After a Gomez fly out, Ramirez singled. Ramirez was erased on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Davis.

Davis stole second and Reynolds walked to put two on for Segura who grounded to third to end the inning with the Brewers down one.

That was it for Estrada as Tom Gorzelanny came on to pitch the sixth for Milwaukee. The final line on Estrada was five innings pitched, allowing five runs on eight hits and no walks, while striking out three.  All five runs came from home runs and he left the game in line for the loss.

Ludwick opened the second inning with a double to center.  Gomez’s throw to second was on time, but it took an odd hop and Gennett dropped it while trying to apply the tag.

After Mesoraco and Cozart grounded out to short, Chris Heisey pinch hit for Leake to end his day. Heisey flew out to Braun in right.

The final line on Leake was five innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks, while striking out three. He allowed a solo home run and was in line for the win.

Former Brewer, Manny Parra came on to pitch the sixth for the Reds. Elian Herrera opened the inning, pinch-hitting for Gorzelanny, with a pop out to Phillips. Parra struck out Gennett for the second out, and was replaced by Sam LeCure to face Braun. Braun grounded to second to end the inning.

Brandon Kintzler came in to toss the seventh for Milwaukee. After striking out Hamilton and Frazier, Votto doubled to center to put another Red in scoring position. Phillips bounced out for another scoreless inning from the Brewers bullpen.

Lucroy led off the bottom of the seventh with a single but was erased on a double-play ground ball to third by Gomez. Ramirez grounded out to end the inning.

Rob Wooten came on to pitch the eighth for Milwaukee. Bruce and Ludwick singled to start the inning. Mesoraco followed with a single to drive in Bruce and move Ludwick to third.

Cozart followed with a hard grounder to third that Ramirez knocked down. It was scored as a hit, to make four straight hits for the Reds, and load the bases. Skip Schumaker pinch hit for LeCure and singled to right to bring in Ludwick and keep the bases loaded.

Hamilton followed with the Reds’ sixth consecutive single to drive in another run and spell the end of the day for Wooten, as Ron Roenicke called for Mike Fiers with the bases loaded and no outs.

Fiers started by striking out Frazier for the first out of the inning, but Votto followed with a bases-loaded walk to make it 9-4. Phillips followed with a long fly out to center to bring in Schumaker and put the Reds up 10-4. Bruce flew out to Gomez to finally end the inning with five runs scoring.

Tony Cingrani came on for the Reds, now with a six run lead, to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Davis led off with a walk ahead of a Reynolds pop out. Segura followed with a line out to third. Rickie Weeks pinch-hit for Fiers, and flew out to the warning track in right.

Wei-Chung Wang came on to pitch the ninth for Milwaukee. Ludwick opened with a double to right. Mesoraco followed with a single to move Ludwick to third. Cozart followed with a fielder’s choice to third. Reynolds got the out at second, and Ludwick came in to score.

Santiago also reached on a fielder’s choice, he grounded to short, and Segura threw the ball away trying to get the out at second.  Hamilton followed with a strike out.

Frazier knocked a double to right to drive in Cozart and Santiago and make it 13-4. Cingrani bounced out to end the frame.

Cingrani stayed in the game to pitch the ninth and put the Brewers down in order.

Estrada picked up the loss for Milwaukee, and if Twitter is to be believed, Brewer fans are running out of patience with him.

Gorzelanny and Kintzler tossed a scoreless inning each for the Brewers.  Wooten gave up six singles and five runs before giving way to Fiers who walked in one of Wooten’s runs, but gave up no hits of his own. Wang gave up three more runs in his inning of work.

The Brewers face the Diamondbacks next for a four-game series in Arizona.