Reds 5, Brewers 3
MILWAUKEE -- Jason Bourgeois' seventh-inning home run and Brandon Boesch's pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth gave the Cincinnati Reds some breathing room in a 5-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night at Miller Park.
Milwaukee had drawn within a run when Bourgeois took right-hander Tyler Thornburg deep to make it a 4-2 game. Boesch put the Reds up by three runs when he slapped a 1-1 fastball into center, driving in shortstop Eugenio Suarez.
Brewers first baseman Jason Rodgers hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning to cap off a two-hit day, but right-hander Aroldis Chapman worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his 31st save of the season
Lefty Brandon Finnegan (1-0) earned his first victory of the season, holding Milwaukee to a run on three hits and two walks in five innings of work.
Brewers right-hander Zach Davies (1-2) went six innings and gave up three runs on five hits and four walks.
Two first-inning singles and a walk gave the Reds a 1-0 lead before Davies worked out of the jam.
Milwaukee evened the score at 1-1 when left fielder Khris Davis connected on Finnegan's first offering of the third inning for his 22nd home run of the season. But the Reds took the lead back in the fourth on a solo home run by right fielder Jay Bruce and back-to-back doubles by Suarez and first baseman Adam Duvall that made it a 3-1 game.
The Brewers cut the deficit to a run in the sixth, when an error on left fielder Skip Schumacher let left fielder Ryan Braun move to third. He would eventually score Rogers grounded into a force at second, but pinch-hitter Adam Lind struck out with the bases loaded, ending the threat.
NOTES: Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson will spend another night under observation at a Milwaukee hospital after he was struck in the head by a line drive Thursday night against St. Louis. Nelson suffered a contusion and is expected to pitch again this season, manager Craig Counsell said. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto sat out Friday night to serve a one-game suspension for arguing with umpire Bill Welke on Sept. 9. He was originally suspended two games but had that punishment reduced Friday morning by MLB. ... CF Billy Hamilton was not with the Reds on Friday; he returned to Cincinnati for an MRI on his right shoulder. He had to leave Cincinnati's game Monday because of soreness, didn't play Tuesday and appeared as a pinch-runner Wednesday; a role manager Bryan Price said he'll use Hamilton in for the near future.