Brewers jump on Reds early in 9-4 win
MILWAUKEE -- Cincinnati's Scott Schebler hit two home runs, but Wily Peralta struck out seven batters and Milwaukee jumped on Rookie Davis early as the Brewers finished off a three-game sweep of the Reds with a 9-4 victory Wednesday at Miller Park.
Back for the first time since taking a pitch to the arm and landing on the disabled list on April 11, Davis (0-1) allowed seven hits and a sac fly to open the game, just the third of his big league career.
Ryan Braun tagged him for a two-run double during that first inning, part of a two-hit day. Jett Bandy led the team with three hits. Jonathan Villar, Travis Shaw and Orlando Arcia also finished with two hits. Arcia also belted his second home run of the season.
Even with a bumper crop of runs, Peralta (4-1) kept things interesting, allowing four solo home runs in five-plus innings of work while giving up eight hits and a pair of walks.
But those homers weren't enough to climb out of the hole dug by Davis, who allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Joey Votto put the Reds on the board in the first with his seventh homer of the season. Milwaukee led 8-1 when Adam Duvall led off the fourth with his second home run in as many games and two batters later, Schebler hit his first of the day to make it an 8-3 game.
Milwaukee got a run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double from Bandy and Schebler stuck again in the sixth.
NOTES: The Brewers have outscored their opponents 27-8 in the first inning this season after taking a 5-1 lead in the first Wednesday against Cincinnati. ... Milwaukee has held a lead on 21 of its 23 games this season, including each of the last 16 contests. ... The Reds optioned OF Phillip Ervin to Triple-A Louisville Wednesday, clearing a spot for RHP Rookie Davis to be brought off the disabled list for the start against the Brewers. Ervin appeared in three games for the Reds and went hitless in a pair of at-bats. ... Reds manager Bryan Price said he expects C Stuart Turner to remain on the roster when Devin Mesoraco is activated from the disabled list Friday, leaving the team with three catchers on the roster. A Rule V pick from the Twins last winter, Turner must spend the entire season on the Reds' big league roster or be offered back to Minnesota. ... Brewers 1B Eric Thames had to leave the game in the seventh inning with an apparent left hamstring injury. Thames had a single and two walks Wednesday but failed to hit a home run for the first time in seven games against the Reds this season.