Junior Guerra – File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Still struggling to hit and score runs at home this season, the pitchers took over on Tuesday night as the Milwaukee Brewers blanked the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 at Miller Park.
Junior Guerra pitched 5 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball. Dan Jennings earned the win in relief and Josh Hader earned the six-out save for the Brewers, who improved to 9-9.
The Reds, after a 10-run, 14-hit effort on Monday, managed just three hits off of Brewers pitching on Tuesday night.
Eric Thames provided the Brewers with all the offense they would need, clubbing a two-run homer in the sixth off of Reds starter Sal Romano. It’s the team leading sixth home run this season for Thames, who now has clubbed 17 April home runs in his two seasons with the Brewers.
Hader struck out three of the seven batters he faced, which now means he has struck out 25 of the 41 batters he’s faced.
In two starts, Guerra has given up just five hits and one run in 11 innings of work. He has walked five and struck out 11, lowering his ERA to 0.82.
The Brewers and Reds play the rubber game of the series on Wednesday afternoon at Miller Park (12:40 p.m.). Zach Davies (0-2, 6.75) pitches for Milwaukee. Tyler Mahle (1-2) pitches for the Reds.
Brewers activate Yelich
Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was activated from the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday. Yelich had been out with a strained right oblique. To make room, the Brewers sent pitcher Jorge Lopez back to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
The Brewers also claimed pitcher Alec Asher off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and optioned him to Colorado Springs.