MILWAUKEE (AP) — Santiago Espinal had two RBIs and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat Milwaukee 4-3 on Sunday to snap the NL Central-leading Brewers’ five-game winning streak.
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The Reds avoided a sweep and beat the Brewers for just the 13th time in their last 47 meetings. The Brewers won two of three from the Reds this weekend for their ninth straight series victory against them.
“We’re all aware of it,” said Cincinnati’s Tyler Stephenson, who hit his 15th homer of the season. “I feel like we’ve played really ompetitive games against, especially the game last night (a 1-0 Brewers victory ). Anytime you can walk out of here with a win is huge.”
Joey Ortiz hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee.
The Reds broke a 3-all tie against Joe Ross (2-6) in the seventh inning. After Espinal hit a leadoff single and advanced to second when Jonathan India grounded out, Ross walked Elly De La Cruz intentionally and Tyler Stephenson unintentionally to load the bases. Espinal scored on Spencer Steer’s sacrifice fly to the left-field warning track.
The Brewers hit into inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth before Alexis Díaz retired the side in order in the ninth for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
Milwaukee’s William Contreras was ejected from the game by home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after grounding into a double play in the eighth.
DL Hall pitched for the Brewers for the first time since April 20 after spending nearly four months on the injured list. Hall hurt a knee while fielding a bunt back in April and had some setbacks that delayed his return.
“I’m just super grateful to be back,” Hall said. “It seemed like it was never going to come this year after all the stuff that happened throughout rehab. I think just the thought of getting to feel that feeling again that I felt today just kept me going. I was just so ready to get back and I’m just blessed that I was able to.”
Hall had a career-high nine strikeouts and worked 4 2/3 innings in his sixth career start, but he was unable to protect an early 2-0 lead. Ortiz had put Milwaukee ahead with his two-run homer off Nick Lodolo in the second inning.
Cincinnati tied the game in the fourth. After Steer singled, Stuart Fairchild walked and TJ Friedl was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Espinal knocked home two runs with a two-out single to shallow center.
Stephenson put the Reds ahead with two outs in the fifth when he sent a 2-2 fastball over the right-field wall.
The Brewers tied the game in the sixth. Gary Sánchez walked and advanced to third on a Contreras double before the Reds removed Lodolo from the game. Willy Adames then greeted Buck Farmer (2-0) with a bloop hit to left that brought home Sánchez.
The Brewers had runners on third and second with one out but couldn’t take the lead, thanks to some solid defense from the Reds.
Espinal went to his right to field Blake Perkins’ bouncer to second before throwing out Contreras out at the plate. Ortiz ended the inning by grounding out on a nice play by third baseman Noelvi Marté.
“Defense in some ways won the game for us,” Reds manager David Bell said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
The Brewers placed LHP Hoby Milner on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Friday, with left shoulder impingement. The Brewers also transferred RHP Enoli Paredes to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Reds: Return home for a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (9-9, 3.70 ERA) will start against Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (11-6, 3.65).
Brewers: Start a four-game home series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brewers RHP Freddy Peralta (7-6, 4.02) goes against Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 4.38) on Monday.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – A Milwaukee Brewers mascot cheers in the empty stands during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)