The Brewers may be 16 games under .500, but when Junior Guerra pitches, they look like a different team.
Guerra tossed six impressive innings on Wednesday to propel the Brewers to a 7-0 win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park, helping them to avoid a sweep. The win improves the Brewers’ record in Guerra’s starts this season to 14-6 and ended a season-high-tying five-game winning streak for the Reds.
The start was the third for Guerra since returning from a month-long stay on the disabled list due to right elbow inflammation. The right-hander allowed three hits and two walks over his six innings, giving him a 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 121 2/3 innings this season. It was the seventh shutout for the Brewers pitching staff, five of which have been started by Guerra.
“Right now, you’re trying to finish healthy and strong,” Guerra said. “That way you’re considered, and you can come back next year and try for a spot.”
Guerra was aided with an early four-run lead, as the Brewers were able to capitalize on Reds starter Tim Adleman’s control issues. Adleman walked two to lead off the second, and both came around to score on a bases-loaded single by Brewers catcher Manny Pina. Adleman surrendered two more runs in the third after a two-out walk led to a two-run homer from Scooter Gennett. The right-hander retired the next seven batters to finish with four runs allowed on three hits over five innings.
“Today he didn’t have his breaking ball, and he didn’t really have real good command of his fastball either, and that, for a starter, is really the death knell when it comes to your chances to have a productive game,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “The catalyst there was the base on balls. The one hard-hit ball that counted was the one that Gennett hit out, but it was two outs, nobody on, a walk to [Chris] Carter and then a two-run homer to Gennett on an 0-2 strike curveball. That wasn’t good.”
The Brewers added some insurance late with an upper-deck three-run homer from Domingo Santana in the eighth. Brewers hitters worked six walks in the game, and five of those runners scored.
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