Elly De La Cruz belted a two-run homer in the fourth inning and a two-run double in the fifth, fueling the host Cincinnati Reds to a 12-8 series-clinching victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon.
Lance Stephenson had a pair of RBI singles for the Reds (69-74), who won a game in which the teams combined for 20 runs on 21 hits and 20 walks. Cincinnati has won four of its last five games.
Cincinnati’s Juan Brito and Hector Rodriguez each drove in a run to highlight their three-hit performances. They each also scored on an error in the eighth to cap the scoring.
The offense proved enough for Brady Singer (6-13), who allowed six runs on four hits with a career-high six walks in five innings to record his first win since July 22.
Emilio Pagan retired the only batter he faced to secure his 22nd save.
Jake Bauers belted a two-run homer, Brice Turang drove in three runs and Garrett Mitchell and Bo Naylor each had an RBI single for the Brewers (88-56), who have lost three of their last four games.
The Reds’ Dane Myers hit a leadoff single in the fourth before De La Cruz sent a 1-1 changeup from Harrison over the wall in right-center field to stake Cincinnati to a 6-3 lead. The homer was the 23rd of the season for De La Cruz and second in as many games.
After Milwaukee forged a 6-6 tie in the fifth on Mitchell’s RBI single and Turang’s two-run double, De La Cruz made his presence felt again in the bottom of the inning. Cincinnati loaded the bases before De La Cruz doubled to center field off Antonio Senzatela (10-5), plating Brito and Rodriguez.
Later in the fifth, Stephenson recorded his second RBI by reaching on an infield single, scoring Myers to give the Reds a 9-6 lead.
Senzatela permitted three runs on two hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Cincinnati bolted out of the blocks against Milwaukee starter Kyle Harrison to take a 4-0 lead, highlighted by Stephenson’s RBI single in the first and Brito’s run-scoring double in the third.
The Brewers halved the deficit in the fourth after Bauers deposited a first-pitch sweeper from Singer over the wall in right-center field for his 24th home run. Mitchell tripled and scored on a sacrifice bunt from rookie Cooper Pratt to trim the Reds’ lead to 4-3.
