Thames' two homers help Brewers top Reds
MILWAUKEE -- Eric Thames continued his torrid start to the season by blasting a pair of home runs and driving in three, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to an 11-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
Thames leads the majors with 10 homers, matching Milwaukee's franchise record for April. He also set a club record for runs scored in April with 24.
Hernan Perez also homered and drove in four runs for the Brewers, who scored four times in the first inning and led 10-4 through four.
Matt Garza made his season debut on the mound for Milwaukee but did not last long enough to qualify for the win. The right-hander needed 93 pitches to get through four innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Carlos Torres (1-2) pitched a scoreless inning of relief and was awarded the win.
The Brewers blasted Reds starter Amir Garrett (2-2) for 10 runs (nine earned) on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Scott Schebler drove in four runs, Stuart Turner went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and Zack Cozart was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple for the Reds.
Thames connected for a solo home run off Garrett to give the Brewers the lead in the first. Later in the inning, Perez hit a three-run shot to put Milwaukee in front 4-0.
Cincinnati got a run back in the second when Cozart tripled and scored on a double by Turner.
Garrett retired the first two batters he faced in the second but walked Jonathan Villar. Thames then muscled an opposite-field home run just over the left-field fence to give the Brewers a 6-1 advantage.
Garza appeared to be through the third unscathed but Orlando Arcia committed an error on a routine ground ball hit by Eugenio Suarez to extend the inning. The shortstop's first error in 43 games proved costly when Schebler followed with a three-run homer to pull Cincinnati within 6-4.
The Brewers scored twice in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Perez and a run-scoring single by Garza. Milwaukee added two more in the fourth on a double by Ryan Braun that plated Thames and an RBI single by Manny Pina that made it 10-4.
NOTES: Reds RHP Ariel Hernandez made his major league debut Thursday, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. ... Cincinnati RHP Rookie Davis (bruised right forearm) will be activated from the disabled list to start Wednesday against the Brewers. RHP Tim Adelman will have his start pushed back to Friday in St. Louis, and LHP Cody Reed will be moved to the bullpen ... Milwaukee OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs after clearing waivers. ... Milwaukee optioned LHP Brent Suter to Colorado Springs in order to activate RHP Matt Garza to start Monday. ... Reds manager Bryan Price said the club is likely to activate C Devin Mesoraco during the team's upcoming weekend series in St. Louis. Mesoraco is currently on the disabled list following right hip surgery and is rehabbing with Double-A Pensacola.