Brewers 3 - 4 Reds
Final/10
  for this game

Brewers, Reds close out set

May 4, 2014 - 2:50 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of four-game winners are set to square off when the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds close out a four-game series Sunday afternoon from Great American Ball Park.

Reds starter Alfredo Simon is 4-1 with a 4.60 earned run average in five outings and the Reds have won each of his past three trips to the hill, including Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.

Simon allowed two runs in six innings and recorded five strikeouts to go along with two walks. The right-hander has allowed four earned runs in his past three starts and will make his first career start against Milwaukee. In nine relief appearances, Simon is 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA.

The Brewers will counter with Kyle Lohse, who is also 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA in six appearances. Lohse is 4-0 in his last five outings after losing his 2014 debut and did not record a decision in Tuesday's 5-4 win at St. Louis.

Lohse gave up three runs in six innings to the Cardinals and fanned nine batters with one walk. He has issued only one walk in his past two games. The righty has made 15 career starts against Cincinnati, going 5-4 with a 2.89 ERA.

Cincinnati handed Milwaukee a 6-2 loss on Saturday after losing Friday by a 2-0 score. Reds starter Johnny Cueto was brilliant through eight innings, as he allowed two runs and three hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk.

"He was very pitch efficient," said Reds manager Bryan Price on Cueto's outing. "He was at 89 pitches heading into the eighth and after a 25-pitch inning, we weren't going to send him out in the ninth."

Sam LeCure closed the door with a scoreless ninth, while Brayan Pena drove in two runs, Brandon Phillips added three hits and two runs scored and both Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick ended with two hits and an RBI apiece.

The Reds have alternated results over the past six games and will visit Boston for two games next.

Milwaukee will close out a seven-game road trip (3-3) and got home runs from Aramis Ramirez and Mark Reynolds in Saturday's defeat. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke is not pleased with the club's recent hitting woes.

"Obviously we're not swinging the bat that well," Roenicke said. "Just as a group we'll get it going. It's tough sometimes when you're facing the pitchers we're facing."

Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo was saddled with his first loss (2-1) of the season and was touched for four runs and nine hits in six innings.

After visiting the Reds, Milwaukee will return to Brew City for nine games versus Arizona, New York (Yankees) and Pittsburgh.

Cincinnati went 10-9 against Milwaukee last season.






Related News