Milwaukee Brewers fans had been riding high after a string of stellar performances, but all good things must come to an end. On Sunday afternoon, as the Brewers aimed to sweep the Cincinnati Reds, their momentum faltered. The Reds struck back, snapping Milwaukee’s winning streak with a 4-3 victory at American Family Field.
Brewers’ Bats Go Cold
Joey Ortiz gave the Brewers an early boost with a two-run homer in the first inning, marking DL Hall’s return to the mound. However, the offense quickly cooled off. Hall, who was making his first appearance since April 20 after recovering from a knee injury, struggled as the game progressed. He allowed two runs in the fourth inning and a home run to Tyler Stephenson in the fifth, which tied the game. The Reds secured the win in the seventh inning when Santiago Espinal scored the go-ahead run.
Hall struck out a career-high nine batters over 4 2/3 innings in his sixth career start. Reflecting on his return, Hall said, “I’m just super grateful to be back. After all the setbacks during rehab, it felt like this moment might never come. But the thought of being out there again kept me going, and I’m just blessed to have made it back.”
Despite Hall’s efforts, the Brewers couldn’t hold onto their early lead. The Reds capitalized on a bases-loaded situation in the fourth inning, with Espinal driving in two runs to tie the game.
Contreras and Murphy Ejected in the Eighth Inning
Willy Adames tied the game again in the sixth inning, but the Brewers found themselves in trouble with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-5 in such situations. Frustration was evident, especially when Jackson Chourio slammed his bat to the ground after striking out in the fifth inning, leading to an interference call and an inning-ending double play.
Down by one, the Brewers’ bats couldn’t regain the fire they had shown in the previous games. In the sixth inning, Gary Sanchez walked, and William Contreras followed with a double. Although Adames scored, Contreras was ejected in the eighth inning after expressing frustration over earlier at-bats. Brewers manager Pat Murphy was also ejected after defending his all-star catcher.
No Sweep, But Hope Remains
The Brewers may have missed out on sweeping the Reds, but securing the series win is still a positive takeaway as they head into a new week. Next up is a highly anticipated three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a matchup that could be crucial for Milwaukee as they look to regain their momentum. The series opener will feature a pitching duel between Freddy Peralta and Clayton Kershaw, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM CST at American Family Field on Monday night.
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