Crew ‘pen blanks Reds in sweep to take 2-game division lead

CINCINNATI — The Reds have been scorching coming into American Household Discipline earlier than the All-Star break.

After two sequence in opposition to the Brewers, they’re not.

That’s what good pitching — and notably a very good bullpen — can do.

Christian Yelich completed a triple shy of yet one more cycle in opposition to the Reds and third baseman Andruw Monasterio delivered the go-ahead hit within the eighth inning earlier than the Brewers’ hard-worked relievers completed a 4-3 win at Great American Ball Park on Sunday. The victory capped a three-game sweep and asserted Milwaukee’s place atop the National League Centraltwo video games forward of second-place Cincinnati with just one sequence remaining between the groups.

The Brewers held the Reds to a few runs on 10 hits over the sequence, with all three runs and 7 of the hits coming in Sunday’s finale. Electrifying rookie Elly De La Cruz was 0-for-12 with 5 strikeouts.

“It is an enormous assertion,” Brewers starter Adrian Houser mentioned. “It will get us in a great place to maintain going.”

Stated Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson: “They smacked us round, there is no hiding that.”

Houser and the Brewers’ starters have been good, however the relievers have been particular over the previous three days. Elvis Peguero and Joel Payamps every delivered scoreless innings on Friday and Saturday in tight video games. After they have been unavailable on Sunday, left-hander Hoby Milner delivered two scoreless, one-hit innings.

Devin Williams locked down saves in all three video games with out permitting a success. His determination to relaxation on the All-Star Recreation proved sensible, as he’s pitched in eight of the Brewers’ previous 11 video games.

“I imply, what else are you able to say?” supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned. “It was an vital sequence. He got here in at this time and he mentioned, ‘I need the ball at this time within the ninth.’ And it labored out. He pitched a fantastic inning in a one-run recreation.”

Bryse WilsonMilner, Peguero, Payamps and Williams — the Brewers’ core relievers over the previous two months — labored 9 1/3 scoreless innings within the sequence whereas permitting one hit and two walks with 13 strikeouts. Counsell would love for yet another arm to step as much as be part of that group.

“We have this group of 5 that is been right here all yr, and all 5 of them have had very nice seasons,” Counsell mentioned. “We’re positively going to want someone else in that group. Hoby pitching two innings, that is form of an anomaly. That is not going to occur fairly often. However I am asking for lots, I perceive.”

Milner took over within the seventh on Sunday with the Brewers trailing, 3-2, and obtained the eighth after Owen Miller delivered a sacrifice fly and Monasterio singled to place the Brewers forward. Milner was excellent in his second inning of labor to move the result in Williams.

A soft-tossing lefty having success in an period through which each Main League reliever appears to throw 97 mph, Milner is unscored upon in 21 of his previous 22 outings.

“Common work is No. 1 for me,” Milner mentioned. “Managing my workload and ensuring I really feel ok however not too good day by day. … It’s good being totally different. I don’t throw laborious sufficient to be typical, so I’ve to be totally different.”

Peguero, the 26-year-old acquired with two different pitchers from the Angels in final winter’s Hunter Renfroe deal, is unscored upon in 29 of his 35 appearances. What’s been the important thing to his step ahead this yr?

“I do know my sinker is nice, and it’s very pure, fortunately,” Peguero mentioned. “Generally guys ask me what I do with it. I simply throw it.”

Payamps, 29, was neglected when the Brewers acquired him from the A’s as a part of a three-team commerce in December that landed catcher William Contreras from the Braves. However Payamps has confirmed simply as vital, stepping right into a setup position because of an improved slider with about twice as a lot horizontal motion as final yr.

“Like the whole lot, once you’re throwing one thing new, you’re going to wrestle with it. I believe that’s why I struggled just a little bit in Spring Coaching,” Payamps mentioned. “Fortunately, we stored on it, and it’s gotten higher because the yr’s gone on.”

Then there may be Williams, who continues to evolve as baseball adapts to his distinctive, air-bending changeup. He’s unscored upon in 34 of his 37 appearances this season.

“Particularly with how scorching [the Reds’] offense has been — it’s been probably the greatest offenses in baseball during the last month — it’s good to see us are available and shut them down and gradual their roll,” Milner mentioned. “Hopefully we begin just a little droop for them. That will be good.”