The Reds usually wear their red jersey tops only for day games at Great American Ball Park, but that hasn’t been the case for when Dan Straily has made his last several home starts. It’s been Straily’s choice to wear the red, and the way he’s been pitching for them, he’s earned that sartorial right.
As Cincinnati tied its season-high five-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory over the Brewers, Straily gave up two runs on three hits over a career-high eight innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. He extended his own franchise mark by making his 11th start this season with three or fewer hits allowed, which also tied Cubs ace Jake Arrieta for the Major League lead in 2016.
“I’m the benefactor of that success with great defense and the very-well-put-together scouting reports I receive before each start,” Straily said.
The Brewers seemed poised for the better night when Keon Broxton hit a two-out solo homer to left field in the second inning and Jonathan Villar sent a two-out solo shot to left field in the third inning, giving Milwaukee a 2-1 lead. But sloppy defense with two errors to begin the bottom of the third inning did not help starter Matt Garza and opened the door for a four-run Reds rally. Joey Votto’s bases-loaded RBI single and a two-run double by Adam Duvall put Cincinnati ahead with another run coming on Brandon Phillips’ sacrifice fly to make it a 5-2 game.
“We were sloppy defensively again tonight. Quite frankly, unacceptable,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “I mean, it’s time for us to finish the season. I think a lot of good things have happened … but it’s 162 games. The season’s not over.”
Garza finished with five innings and gave up five runs (one earned) with eight hits, no walks and three strikeouts. His only earned run allowed came on Votto’s homer in the bottom of the first inning.
Chris Carter tightened the game against reliever Tony Cingrani in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat. But Cingrani recorded the final two outs, leading the Brewers to their fourth loss in their last five games.
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