Lyle Overbay is Clutch With Ninth Inning Game-Winner for the Brewers

Sep 12, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Lohse (26) pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Lyle Overbay smacked a game-winning line drive in the bottom of the ninth with the sacks jammed to give the Milwaukee Brewers a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds Friday night before a crowd of 31,000 plus at Miller Park.

The Reds (70-77) came into tonight’s action after taking the final three games of a four game series with N.L. Central leader St. Louis. The Reds started the night ten games behind in the Central and 7 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh, currently located in the second wildcard spot.

Milwaukee (76-71) had a modest two-game win streak and was situated in third in the N.L. Central standings, four games behind St. Louis and 1 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh.

Rookie right hander Daniel Corcino (0-0, 10.13 ERA) made his first major league start and his third appearance in a Cincinnati jersey. Kyle Lohse (12-9, 3.85) made the start for the Brewers.

Kristopher Negron gave the Reds a 1-0 lead with his one-out home run–his fifth of the year–to center field off Lohse in the first inning.

Todd Frazier then slapped a grounder past Jean Segura for a base hit before Jay Bruce popped up for the second out.

Frazier took off for second on a steal attempt and should have been picked off with Lohse’s throw to Jonathan Lucroy at first, but the inexperienced first baseman made a flat-footed throw to second and Frazier slid in safely with a stolen base.

The threat ended when Brandon Phillips popped up for the final out.

Reds catcher Brayan Pena nearly added to the lead with one out in the top of the second, but Ryan Braun ran down the deep drive on the warning track in right center.

Braun returned the favor in the bottom half, but left fielder Chris Heisey made a catch of the sky-high fly on the track in front of the ‘344’ sign as Corcino set down the Brewers in order through two innings.

The Reds’ starter led off the third with a ground ball past Lohse and into center for his first major league hit before he was forced at second by Billy Hamilton.

Then Hamilton set sail for second, but Martin Maldonado made a great throw as Segura tagged out the speedy center fielder for the second out. Negron whiffed to end the frame.

The Crew was set down in order in the bottom of the third as they continued to have trouble hitting a youngster making his starting debut.

Carlos Gomez led off the bottom of the fourth by striking out but advanced to second as Pena missed the wild pitch and compounded his difficulties by making an errant throw past Frazier at first, allowing Gomez to coast into second.

Scooter Gennett moved Gomez to third as he rolled to second for the initial out of the inning.

Lucroy then tied the game as he drove a one-strike pitch to right over the head of a drawn-in Phillips at second for an RBI single. One out later and with Braun at the plate, Lucroy moved to second on Corcino’s second wild pitch of the inning.

Braun came through, lacing a single to center that scored a sliding Lucroy, who just beat a good throw from Hamilton to give the home team a 2-1 lead. Gerardo Parra lined to first to end the inning.

After scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, Bruce led off the top of the seventh with a rope to center field for a base hit and Phillips walked to put runners at first and second with nobody out.

Heisey tried to advance the runners by bunting, but after two failed foul attempts drove a ball to deep center for an out that did move both runners up one base.

Pena then tied the score with a sacrifice fly to right that moved Phillips to third with two outs.

Then Zach Cozart walked on four pitches to end Lohse’s evening. The Brewers hurler went 6 2/3, allowing five hits  and two runs, with six strikeouts and two walks.

Brandon Kintzler entered to face pinch-hitter Devin Mesoraco and promptly struck him out, leaving two runners on base to keep the score tied at two.

Corcino left after six innings, allowing two hits, two runs, and struck out four and walked one. Logan Ondrusek came on in the bottom of the seventh for the Reds.

Braun greeted the Reds reliever with a ball off the right field wall over Bruce for a two-base hit. Parra struck out for the first out.

Overbay came in to pinch-hit for Maldonado, but ‘O’ struck out for the second out.

Rickie Weeks came in to pinch-hit for Segura with two outs and struck out swinging for the final out.

Former Red Jonathan Broxton began the eighth for Milwaukee.

After Hamilton was caught looking at strike three, Negron got his second long hit of the game, lining a double to right-center field. Frazier helped out the Brewers by popping out to Gennett on the first pitch, and then Bruce fouled to third for the final out.

Pedro Villarreal came on to face the Brewers in the bottom of the eighth and set down Milwaukee hitters on seven pitches.

Francisco Rodriguez entered the contest in the top of the ninth for Milwaukee in a non-save situation.

Phillips walked on four pitches and then was sacrificed to second on a bunt in front of the plate. K-Rod one-hopped a throw to Overbay, who made a nice scoop for the first out.

Pena grounded out to Hector Gomez, who came in to play shortstop in the top of the eighth. Cozart walked to put runners at first and third.

Jack Hannahan came in to pinch-hit and struck out looking on a fastball on the inside corner as Rodriguez stalked off the mound with a yell and a roar from the Milwaukee crowd.

Jumbo Diaz began the bottom of the ninth for the Reds.

Lucroy got the fans going with a double off the left-center field wall over a leaping Hamilton to put the go-ahead run at second. Aramis Ramirez moved Lucroy to third with a grounder to short. Braun was given an intentional pass, bringing up the left hander Parra. Logan Schafer came in to run for Lucroy.

Parra saw four wide ones for a second free pass of the inning.

That brought up Overbay, who ripped a line drive to left center on the first pitch for the game-winner.

Rodriguez got the win while Diaz took the loss to drop to 0-1.

The Cardinals and the Pirates both won, so the Brewers stay four games behind the division leader and 1 1/2 games behind the second wildcard team.