Brewers manager Craig Counsell – Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
The Milwaukee Brewers started the week excited about their post season playoff chances. With four games left in the regular season, those chances are growing slimmer by the day.
The Brewers managed just four hits and used nine pitchers in a 6-0 loss to the last place Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Miller Park. It was their fourth loss in the last five games against the Reds in the month of September, and the fifth in eight games since the all-star break. The Brewers have lost five of their last seven games overall.
The loss dropped the Brewers 2 1/2 games behind the Colorado Rockies in the race for the second and final wild card spot in the National League. They were officially eliminated from the Central Division title race after the Chicago Cubs clinched with a 5-1 victory over the Cardinals in St. Louis.
For the Brewers to have a chance, they will likely need to win all four remaining games and get the Rockies to drop two out of three against the Dodgers in Denver this weekend. Under that scenario, the Brewers and Rockies would finished the season tied and would play a one-game in Denver to determine the second wild card winner. The problem is, the Dodgers have already clinched home field throughout the National League playoffs. They may be resting player as they get ready for the start of the playoffs.
The Reds got solo home runs from Joey Votto (36th) in the first and Tucker Barnhart (7th) in the third inning. Cincinnati knocked out Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff (2-3) with a five run third inning. Woodruff allowed all six runs on six hits with one walk in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Homer Bailey entered the game with a 5-9 record and a 6.96 ERA, but pitched seven shutout innings. The nine pitchers the Brewers used in the game was a franchise record for a nine-inning game.
The Brewers and Reds close out their three-game series at Miller Park this afternoon (3:10 p.m.). Brent Suter (3-2, 3.29) pitches for the Brewers. Cincinnati counters with Sal Romano (5-7, 4.43).