MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Brewers 2, Reds 1: Lorenzo Cain ends extra-inning madness with a home run in the 11th

Todd Rosiak

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

CINCINNATI - Lorenzo Cain to the rescue.

Stuck in another extra-innings game that began less than 12 hours after the previous one had concluded, the veteran centerfielder did his part to end the proceedings as expeditiously as possible.

He homered to left on the first pitch he saw in the 11th inning, and that was enough to lift the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday afternoon.

"Eddie (Sedar, Brewers' third-base coach) gave me a motivational speech going into it. ‘Unless you do something about it, we’re going to play 18 innings,’" Cain said. "So I took it to heart."

Extra innings were the last thing the Brewers needed after burning through their bullpen the previous two nights. But starter Wade Miley threw a strong 7 1/3 innings, and the combination of Dan Jennings, Jordan Lyles, Corbin Burnes and Joakim Soria got the game to the 11th for Milwaukee.

Cain then stepped to the plate against right-hander Austin Brice, who had just been recalled from Class AAA Louisville earlier in the day. Cain connected on Brice's first offering, a 95-mph sinker, and sent a drive to left that bounced on the top of the wall and into the stands.

It was Cain's 10th of the season and the 22nd game the Brewers went deep at Great American Ball Park, extending their record at the facility.

"When I hit it, I thought double for sure," said Cain, who extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games with a fifth-inning single.

"But we’re in Cincinnati, so you just never know here. It ended up sneaking out for me. I’m sure everyone was happy on the team."

"I was definitely happy I was able to hit a homer there."

The Brewers couldn't tack onto their lead after that, but it didn't matter.

Josh Hader pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half, mowing through Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto in the process, to earn his 11th save and Milwaukee its third consecutive series victory.

"Playing extras and then last night felt like extra innings, as long as the game was and as many runs scored and hits – definitely tough," said Cain. "It’s definitely been tough on the body this series.

"Hitting a home run there and then Hader coming in and shutting the door was definitely something we all needed. So, it was nice."

Back to work after precious little sleep, the Brewers and Reds sailed through the first five innings after their 4-hour, 16-minute, 10-inning marathon the night before.

BOX SCORE:Brewers 2, Reds 1 (11 innings)

MLB:Live scoreboard, box scores, standings, statistics

Miley allowed just one hit – a Scott Schebler double to start the Reds' fourth – while Cincinnati left-hander Cody Reed induced nine groundouts through his first four innings.

Milwaukee finally got to him in the fifth, loading the bases on singles by Mike Moustakas, Hernán Pérez and Cain. That brought Christian Yelich to the plate, and he drew a four-pitch walk to put the Brewers in front.

Cincinnati tied it in the seventh, with Dilson Herrera doubling in Phillip Ervin with two outs.

It was a bang-bang play at the plate, and a Brewers challenge of home-plate umpire Nick Mahrley's safe call was unsuccessful in 1 minute 43 seconds, dropping them to 5-22 on the season one inning after they successfully challenged an out at first base that netted them a double play.

Miley made way for Jennings in the eighth, only to have to leave after one batter when he rolled his left ankle getting speedster Billy Hamilton into a rundown. Jennings is considered day to day.

Lyles finished out the eighth, then Burnes and Soria (1-0) followed with a scoreless inning apiece ahead of Cain's homer.

"It would be hard to tell you we were playing by the same rules the past two days," manager Craig Counsell quipped. "I think the offense looked tired, but you grind through it and you play good defense.

"We made pitches and Lo Cain got the big hit."

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

ROSTER MOVES: Before the finale, the Brewers recalled Jacob Barnes and selected the contract of Aaron Brooks from Class AAA Colorado Springs while optioning out Freddy Peralta and Taylor Williams. Brooks was scheduled to start Wednesday for the Sky Sox, so he was a fresh arm who could have pitched several innings for the Brewers. He hasn't been in the major leagues since 2015 with Oakland. The Brewers also designated right-hander Ariel Hernández for assignment to make room for Brooks on the 40-man roster.

"By everybody's accounts, he's probably thrown the ball better than anyone on the staff," Counsell said of Brooks, who was 9-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 26 games (15 starts) for the Sky Sox. "He's on a streak of really well-pitched games and throwing the ball well. He's been on the radar for the last couple weeks, actually."

TOUGH DECISIONS: The Brewers had little choice but to option out Peralta and Williams because the bullpen had to cover a combined 13 1/3 innings in Tuesday's and Wednesday's games.

"It's out of need," Counsell said. "It's two crazy games. We have to have pitching for today and tomorrow. They'll both be back at the 10-day mark, so they'll be at Colorado Springs until then."

WELCOME BACK: With Peralta heading out, Zach Davies will take his spot in the rotation beginning Monday against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park. The initial thought was he'd replace Junior Guerra, but Guerra will remain in the rotation for now and start Sunday against Max Scherzer in Washington.

SORE BUT OK: Manny Piña had five stitches in a fat lip but otherwise was in good spirits Wednesday, the day after a pitch ricocheted off his left shoulder and hit him in the mouth. Counsell said the plan is to not use Piña for the next few days unless he's needed in an emergency situation and that a catcher will be among the team's initial call-ups from the minor leagues Saturday. With Jacob Nottingham still not fully recovered from a wrist injury, it would appear as if the next options are either Colorado Springs' Jett Bandy or Christian Bethancourt.

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE ROSTERS ANNOUNCED: The Brewers will have eight of their minor-league prospects take part in the upcoming Arizona Fall League, generally considered to be a "finishing school" for players on track for the major leagues. They are: Colorado Springs RHP Bubba Derby, Class AA Biloxi RHPs Jon Olczak and Miguel Sanchez, second baseman Keston Hiura, infielder Weston Wilson and outfielder Trent Grisham and advanced Class A Carolina LHP Daniel Brown and catcher Mario Feliciano,

RECORD

This year: 75-60

Last year: 71-64

COMING UP

Friday: Brewers at Nationals, 6:05 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Jhoulys Chacín (13-5, 3.61) vs. Washington RHP Tanner Roark (8-13, 3.95). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.