Reds take frustrations out on Brewers, 10-4

By HAL McCOY

The Cincinnati Reds found a team with more walking wounded than they have and took full advantage of it Monday night to end an eight-game losing streak.

And they did it with a vengeance, expelling a shipload of frustration on the Milwaukee Brewers, 10-4.

While the Reds are without regulars Eugenio Suarez, Scott Schebler and Jesse Winker, the Brewers played Monday without Ryan Braun, Eric Thames (10 homers against the Reds last year), Christian Yelich, Manny Pina and closer Corey Knebel.

Just as no other team felt sorry for the Reds injuries, the Reds didn’t feel sorry for the Brewers. They scored three runs in the second inning and six runs in the sixth inning.

And for six innings, Reds starter Luis Castillo had the Brewers mumbling expletives, no runs and two hits for six innings.

Then came the seventh and Castillo gave up a couple of singles, but had two outs. Then he walked rookie catcher Josh Nottingham, who was making his first major league at bat.

With his team down 9-0 and with two outs, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell decided to permit relief pitcher Jorge Lopez bat.

Strangely, Castillo hung a two-strike breaking pitch and Lopes ripped a two-run double to center field.

And things got shaky. Castillo was removed and Cody Reed came in. He threw a wild pitch to permit a run and gave up a run-scoring single to Jonathan Villar to make it 9-4. All four runs were charged to Castillo.

Kevin Quackenbush replaced Reed and he gave up a single to Lorenzo Cain, putting runners on third and first with two outs. Quackenbush finally ended it by getting a called third strike past Domingo Santana.

The Brewers started soft-throwing left hander Brent Suter, a Cincinnati Moeller High School product who pitched at Harvard and was a 31st-round draft pick.

The Reds reached him for three runs in the second on Phillip Ervin’s double and a run-scoring single by Tucker Barnhart. Phil Gosselin single and Castillo bunted up the third base line.

Third baseman Travis Shaw, son of former Reds All-Star closer Jeff Shaw, appeared to have Barnhart out running from second to third. But Shaw threw to first to get Castillo, putting runners on third and second with two outs.

Billy Hamilton then lined a two-out, two-strike, two-run single to right field to make it 3-0.

After that, Suter retired eight straight, but he was removed after five innings, replaced by Oliver Drake.

Drake absorbed six runs and six hits, five runs coming after two outs. It began with back-to-back doubles by Adam Duvall and Soooter Gennett to make it 4-0.

With two outs and a runner on s second, Milwaukee decided to intentionally walk Phil Gosselin and pitch to pitcher Luis Castillo.

Castillo singled to right field to make it 5-0. Billy Hamilton singled for a run, his third RBI, Jose Peraza doubled for two more and Joey Votto doubled for the sixth run of the inning — Votto’s first extra base hit this season.

Unfortunately, Castillo’s six innings of no runs and two hits and eight strikeouts, ended up as 6 2/3 innings, four runs, five hits, three walks and eight strikeouts.

Every Reds starter, including Castillo, contributed at least one hit to the Reds 14-hit assault.

—Hamilton had two hits, a walk, scored twice and drove in three.

—Peraza had a hit, drove in two and scored one.

—Votto had two hits, including his double, and drove in a run.

—Duvall, who entered the game hitting .153, and three hits, drove in a run and scored a run.

—Gennett had a hit, a walk and drove in a run.

—Phillip Ervin had two hits and scored a run.

—Barnhart had a hit, drove in a run and scored a run.

—Gosselin had a hit, a walk and scored two runs.

—Castillo had a hit, a sacrifice bunt, drove in a run and scored a run.

There were more smiles in the Reds dugouts than they had hits, and they had 14, on this explosive night.

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