Brent Suter – File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
The Milwaukee Brewers stayed hot, winning their fifth straight game, 4-2 over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday night. It’s the 16th win in the last 18 games and moved the Brewers to 18-4 in the month of September.
With the Chicago Cubs falling to the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-2, the Brewers magic number to clinch a wildcard playoff spot is now down to one.
Sonny Gray entered the game for Cincinnati with a 2-0 record and 1.85 ERA in four starts against the Brewers this season. But the Brewers got three early runs off of him and let their bullpen do the rest.
Cincinnati scored first, on back-to-back doubles from Joey Votto and Aristedes Aquino in the bottom of the first inning. The Reds increased their lead to 2-0 after Ryan Braun’s attempt at a diving catch failed.
Braun got one of those runs back in the second on a home run to center field, the 27th in his 97th game at Great American Ball Park.
The Brewers then took the lead in the third when Orlando Arcia scored on Yasmani Grandal’s double to right. Mike Moustakas walked to load the bases and Keston Hiura added a sacrifice fly to right to score Trent Grisham for a 3-2 Milwaukee lead.
Adrian Houser worked four innings and was then followed by Brent Suter (4-0) who pitched three scoreless innings for his 4th win of the season.
Drew Pomeranz worked the 8th and Josh Hader the 9th for his 36th save of the season. The Reds did collect a pair of hits off of Hader before he struck out Kyle Farmer to end it.
Game two of the series is tonight (5:40 p.m.). Jordan Lyles (11-8, 4.17) pitches for the Brewers. Tyler Mahle (2-11, 4.93) goes for Cincinnati. The Brewers need to win or get a Cubs loss tonight to clinch. They’d like to take care of it themselves, with the Champagne waiting on ice.