Zack Cozart’s three-run home run capped a four-run rally in the sixth inning, Joey Votto added a two-run shot in the seventh, and Anthony DeSclafani pitched an eight-inning gem to give the Reds a 6-1 win Monday night over the Brewers.
The Reds entered the night 12th of 15 NL teams in runs and on-base percentage, while the Brewers were last in both categories. For five scoreless innings, those trends held true, but the game turned after Brewers pitcher Wily Peralta popped a bunt for a rally-killing double play in the bottom of the fifth inning, and the Reds capitalized in the top of the sixth.
After Brayan Pena put the Reds on the board with a sacrifice fly, Cozart punished a 1-2 Peralta pitch for a 4-0 lead. An inning later, Votto hit the first pitch of his at-bat with Peralta deep to make it 6-0.
“I felt pretty good, man, but things aren’t going our way,” Peralta said. “One mistake [to Cozart], that’s the ballgame. We need to stop this and start doing a better job.”
While Peralta surrendered six earned runs on eight hits and three walks in seven innings, DeSclafani allowed only two hits in a career-high eight scoreless innings. Over his last two starts, he’s scattered four hits in 15 innings without allowing a run. The 25-year-old already has three quality starts this season, one more than the Brewers have as a team.
“He was just on,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He was locked in. He had great pitch quality. Really happy, obviously for our club, but for him, too, as a young guy trying to get established in the league.”
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