Homers back Guerra as Brewers blank Reds
CINCINNATI -- Domingo Santana hit a three-run home run, Scooter Gennett added a two-run shot and Junior Guerra tossed six shutout innings, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Milwaukee won for just the second time in its previous seven meetings with Cincinnati and avoided being swept by the Reds for the first time since 2013.
Guerra (9-3) gave up only three hits while walking two and striking out five. The Brewers improved to 14-6 when he pitches.
The loss snapped Cincinnati's four-game winning streak.
Right-hander Tim Adleman (2-4) took the loss for the Reds after allowing four earned runs in his five innings of work.
Milwaukee drew six walks on Wednesday and five of them scored, including two in the eighth before Santana's towering blast into the upper-deck bleachers in left field that made the score 7-0. Santana's eighth homer of the season came on the first pitch from Ross Ohlendorf and traveled an estimated 425 feet.
Adleman needed 72 pitches to get through three innings. When he did throw a strike, it generally was hit hard.
A pair of walks to begin the second inning came back to bite Adleman when Manny Pina singled with the bases loaded to put Milwaukee ahead 2-0.
A walk to Chris Carter in the third preceded Gennett's 12th homer, a two-run shot to make the score 4-0.
Cincinnati had runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings, but failed to score.
Jose Peraza tripled with one out in the third for Cincinnati but was left stranded. Peraza's first triple of the season was one of only two hits allowed by Guerra through three.
NOTES: Reds RHP Keyvius Sampson, who tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Tuesday, likely will start Sunday's series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (rest) was held out of the starting lineup on Wednesday. ... Brewers 1B Chris Carter played in his 144th game on Wednesday, four shy of his career high in 2013 while with the Houston Astros. ... RHP Abel De Los Santos was the 31st pitcher used by the Reds this season, a franchise high. ... Brewers RHP Taylor Jungmann has been throwing the ball, but hasn't pitched since being recalled on Sept. 6. He could get a start during the four-game series in Chicago.