MILWAUKEE (AP) — Travis Shaw and Christian Yelich homered to help the Milwaukee Brewers overcome an early deficit, and Chase Anderson kept the ball in the ballpark when it mattered.
Anderson settled in after giving up two early solo homers and the Brewers rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
“This is the big leagues, guys are going to make you pay for mistakes and they really did for those two pitches,” said Anderson, who allowed multiple homers for the ninth time this season. “Homers have been kind of a big thing for me, a lot of solo homers. The first inning has been a big thing for me this year, but today I felt like I kind of found something as the game went on.”
Shaw’s two-run homer off Homer Bailey put the Brewers up 3-2 in the sixth. Jesus Aguilar singled to open the inning and Shaw followed with his 25th homer, lining an 0-2 pitch into the right-field seats.
“I was trying to throw a fastball up and in (on the homer), the same pitch he broke his bat on two pitches before that,” Bailey said.
Anderson, pitching on seven days’ rest, entered tied for the National League lead with 24 homers allowed and gave up second-inning solo shots to Eugenio Suarez and Phillip Ervin as the Reds took a 2-0 lead. Anderson then retired the final 14 hitters he faced.
Anderson (8-7) allowed two hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and no walks. Josh Hader retired six straight, striking out three, and Jeremy Jeffress pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
“When Chase is leaving some balls in the middle, he’s getting hurt on them, for sure,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “But, I thought he made some really quality pitches after that. He had better fastball command today, curve ball was better today. He put it together after that really well.”
Bailey (1-11) kept the Brewers off the scoreboard until Yelich’s 20th homer, a one-out solo shot in the fifth that made it 2-1. Bailey, who has not won since May 12, allowed three runs on five hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one.
“He has not been fortunate, that’s for sure,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. “The main thing is he is throwing the ball well and getting us deep in the game and not wearing out the bullpen. He’s doing his part there.”
The Brewers added two runs in the eighth off Jared Hughes on a pinch-hit RBI triple by Keon Broxton and Manny Pina’s sacrifice fly.
Suarez opened the second with his 28th homer, sending a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left-center. One out later, Ervin drove a 1-0 pitch to left for his fourth.
Anderson now has allowed 26 homers in 135 1/3 innings, after giving up just 14 in 141 1/3 innings last season.
“He gave up those two homers in the second, but outside of that, he pitched really well,” Shaw said. “His curveball was really good today.”
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Lorenzo Cain beat out an infield single to short with one out in the seventh the Reds challenged, but the call was upheld after a review estimated at 1 minute, 40 seconds.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: OF Scott Schebler (right shoulder), who just completed a seven-game rehab stint at Triple-A Louisville, including six as DH, began another rehab assignment Monday at Double-A Pensacola.
Brewers: RHP Matt Albers, on the 10-day DL (left hamstring strain), is back with team and could be activated soon. He pitched three scoreless rehab outings with Double-A Biloxi, including one Saturday. “He’s ready. We weren’t planning on activating him today unless there was a need,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ll kind of go with that for the next couple of days, depending on need. … RHP Joakim Soria, also on the DL (right groin), will pitch off the mound on Tuesday and face hitters.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Sal Romano (7-10, 5.31 ERA) is 0-5 in five career starts against the Brewers, including 0-3 at Miller Park.
Romano lasted just 1 2/3 innings in his last start, allowing six runs on seven hits in an 8-1 loss to Cleveland.
Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra (6-8, 3.73) makes his 24th start.
In his last outing, allowed seven runs – six earned — on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings in an 8-4 loss to the Cubs. He is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three starts in August.