CINCINNATI (AP) — Christian Yelich doubled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Saturday night to widen their lead in the NL Central.
The Reds loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th, but with an empty bench, manager David Bell sent pitcher Wade Miley up to pinch hit for reliever Ryan Hendrix. He grounded out to second to end the game.
After losing three of four to the Reds at home before the All-Star break, Milwaukee has opened this series with two straight wins to take a six-game lead.
“We fought back,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s something we’ve done all year. I think we’ve been really good late in games, and the fight has been there all year.”
Both teams scored in the 10th. Yelich then began the 11th with a liner into the left-field corner off left-hander Sean Doolittle (3-1) to drive in automatic runner Kolten Wong.
An infield single by Avisail Garcia and a sacrifice fly by Jace Peterson drove in two more runs.
Jonathan India hit a leadoff homer in the Reds eighth to make it 3-all.
Yelich had an RBI grounder during a three-run rally in the seventh for a 3-2 Milwaukee lead.
The Reds scored on an error and Kyle Farmer had an RBI double off All-Star right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who gave up just two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked four.
Jandel Gustave (1-0), the sixth Milwaukee reliever, pitched the last two innings for the win.
“There no question there’s a lot on the line,” Bell said. “It is tough to take loses, but we have no choice but to approach this the way we do — with toughness.”
WILLY SPARKS CREW
Willy Adames had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. That’s after he had three hits and four RBIs in the Brewers’ 11-6 win on Friday night. Since joining the team on May 22 in a trade with Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old shortstop leads the Brewers in hits (56), doubles (16), extra-base hits (26) and total bases. The team has gone 34-16 since his arrival.
BAD LUCK MIKE
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen, in his first action of the season after coming off the injured list with a shoulder strain, pitched the eighth inning for the Reds without giving up a run and played two outfield positions. But he injured a hamstring while scoring as the automatic runner in the 10th inning and likely will miss some more time. Bell said he’ll know more Sunday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Brad Boxberger left the game with shoulder stiffness after giving up the homer to India in the eighth. He is day to day. … RHP Devin Williams was put put on the 10-day disabled list with elbow discomfort. … 3B Travis Shaw (shoulder) will begin on-field batting practice on Tuesday. … CF Lorenzo Cain (hamstring) is expected to continue his rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville through the weekend.
Reds: All-Star right fielder Nick Castellanos wasn’t in the starting lineup but isn’t expected to miss significant time after being hit on the right wrist by a pitch Friday night. “It’s not broken, but it doesn’t feel good this morning,” he said before the game.
UP NEXT
Milwaukee sends All-Star right-hander Corbin Burnes (4-4, 2.36 ERA) against right-hander Sonny Gray (3-4, 3.19) in the finale of the series on Sunday afternoon. Burnes worked two innings and gave up two runs, taking the loss for the National League in Tuesday night’s game. Gray is coming off a weeklong stay on the injured list after being bothered by a strained oblique before the All-Star break.
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