Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2025 ) Cincinnati 2, Milwaukee 8
Fresh from a three-game road sweep of the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, the Milwaukee Brewers look to continue their longest winning streak in two years when they open a three-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
The Brewers rallied from an early 2-0 deficit and beat the Phillies 5-2 on Sunday to run their win streak to seven. It's Milwaukee's longest streak since a nine-game stretch in August 2023. The Brewers are four games over .500 for the first time this season.
Before the game, manager Pat Murphy pointed to the beginning of the streak a week earlier in Pittsburgh, when the Brewers rallied for a 6-5 victory.
"That was an indicator," Murphy said. "That day was an indicator. After the game I'm like, ‘Hell yeah. We did that.' And it wasn't supposed to happen. Last day of the series, day game, everything was going right for them. Every ball they hit (was falling). Everything was going wrong. Sure enough, we came back and it kind of felt like something turned."
The Brewers received a scare early Sunday when the hot-hitting Christian Yelich was hit on the right hand by a pitch from Phillies starter Ranger Suarez in the first inning. He suffered a bruise, but X-rays were negative.
Jake Bauers came in for Yelich and belted a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh.
"This is kind of the style of play that we in this clubhouse have been waiting for, where we're applying pressure," Bauers said. "Over the course of nine innings you can see it manifest in different ways. ... I think the other teams feel that. I really like where we're at right now."
In Monday's opener, the Brewers turn to right-hander Aaron Civale (0-1, 6.00 ERA), who will make his fourth start of the season and first against the Reds. On Tuesday against the visiting Boston Red Sox, Civale received a no-decision in Milwaukee's 5-1, 10-inning win. He allowed three hits and one run over five innings, striking out four and walking one.
Looking for his first quality start in 2025, Civale is 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati, allowing three runs and 10 hits over 13 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and four walks.
The Reds counter with right-hander Brady Singer (6-3, 4.60), making his 12th start of the season. Singer allowed seven hits and two runs over seven innings last Monday at Kansas City, picking up a win in a 7-2 victory.
Cincinnati shortstop Elly De La Cruz suffered through an emotional Sunday in a 7-3 loss in Chicago to the Cubs.
With a dedication to his late sister -- who passed away over the weekend in the Dominican Republic -- inscribed on his spikes, De La Cruz belted a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
"It was hard. We care so much about playing a game and winning, but in a hurry, you're reminded of what's really important," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "So I think everybody kind of kept their head on a swivel with him (Sunday), just trying to take care of him. He takes so much pride in being available."
One day after being held to one hit in a 2-0 loss, the Reds could only manage four hits Sunday in dropping two of three to the NL Central-leading Cubs.
"If I had the answer, I wouldn't be sitting here kind of (ticked) off, but we're going to have to figure that out better," Francona said. "We're going to have to find ways to manufacture some more runs when we're not swinging."
--Field Level Media