Advertisement

Milwaukee Brewers' Eric Thames feasting on Cincinnati Reds pitching

By Andrew Gruman, The Sports Xchange
Milwaukee's Eric Thames has hit seven of his 10 homers this season off Reds pitching. File photo by Kamil Krzaczynski
Milwaukee's Eric Thames has hit seven of his 10 homers this season off Reds pitching. File photo by Kamil Krzaczynski | License Photo

MILWAUKEE -- It is only late April and the Cincinnati Reds are likely already sick of having to face Eric Thames.

The Brewers first baseman continued his torrid start to the season by blasting a pair of home runs and driving in three, leading Milwaukee to an 11-7 victory over the Reds on Monday.

Advertisement

Thames leads the majors with 10 homers, matching Milwaukee's franchise record for April. He also set a club record for runs scored in April with 24.

Seven of his 10 home runs have come in five games against Cincinnati.

"It has been fun to watch, I know that," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It is tough to even know what to say about it. Seven homers against a team in five games is incredible."

Advertisement

Hernan Perez also homered and drove in four runs for the Brewers, who scored four times in the first inning and led 10-4 through four.

Matt Garza made his season debut on the mound for Milwaukee but did not last long enough to qualify for the win. The right-hander needed 93 pitches to get through four innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Carlos Torres (1-2) pitched a scoreless inning of relief and was awarded the win.

The Brewers blasted Reds starter Amir Garrett (2-2) for 10 runs (nine earned) on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings.

"He pitched more behind today, a lot more off-speed seemed like to me," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "The mistakes he made got hit."

Scott Schebler drove in four runs, Stuart Turner went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and Zack Cozart was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple for the Reds.

Thames connected for a solo home run off Garrett to give the Brewers the lead in the first. Later in the inning, Perez hit a three-run shot to put Milwaukee in front 4-0.

Advertisement

"He's not missing," Price said. "As the saying goes, you may get one good pitch to hit in your at-bat, you don't want to miss it. He's not missing it. It's not that every pitch he's hit against us has been a terrible pitch. He's hit some good pitches too, but he doesn't miss a mistake."

Cincinnati got a run back in the second when Cozart tripled and scored on a double by Turner.

Garrett retired the first two batters he faced in the second but walked Jonathan Villar. Thames then muscled an opposite-field home run just over the left-field fence to give the Brewers a 6-1 advantage.

It gave Thames his second multi-home run game of his career, both of which have come this month against the Reds.

"It is crazy with baseball," Thames said. "There are some teams that somehow the ball finds your barrel and there are some teams where you get a good pitch and you swing and it is a foul ball or a strikeout. I don't know. I'm just trying to play ball and get a pitch to hit and tonight it went in my favor."

Advertisement

Garza appeared to be through the third unscathed but Orlando Arcia committed an error on a routine ground ball hit by Eugenio Suarez to extend the inning. The shortstop's first error in 43 games proved costly when Schebler followed with a three-run homer to pull Cincinnati within 6-4.

The Brewers scored twice in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Perez and a run-scoring single by Garza. Milwaukee added two more in the fourth on a double by Ryan Braun that plated Thames and an RBI single by Manny Pina that made it 10-4.

Braun was pinch-hit for by Jesus Aguilar in the sixth inning due to a bruised left foot suffered when he fouled three pitches off his foot in his first at-bat. He is considered day-to-day after X-rays came back negative.

NOTES: Reds RHP Ariel Hernandez made his major league debut Thursday, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. ... Cincinnati RHP Rookie Davis (bruised right forearm) will be activated from the disabled list to start Wednesday against the Brewers. RHP Tim Adelman will have his start pushed back to Friday in St. Louis, and LHP Cody Reed will be moved to the bullpen. ... Milwaukee OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs after clearing waivers. ... Milwaukee optioned LHP Brent Suter to Colorado Springs in order to activate RHP Matt Garza to start Monday. ... Reds manager Bryan Price said the club is likely to activate C Devin Mesoraco during the team's upcoming weekend series in St. Louis. Mesoraco is currently on the disabled list following right hip surgery and is rehabbing with Double-A Pensacola.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines