The Reds will head into the All-Star Break with just a one-game lead in the NL Central after losing two out of three over the
weekend to division rival Milwaukee.
On Friday, Cincinnati dug themselves into a 4-0 hole after two innings and never recovered, losing 7-3.
Andrew Abbott suffered his first career loss on the mound, allowing 6 runs in 4 and 1/3 innings.
Milwaukee’s first two runs came on a pair of doubles by Willy Adames and Owen Miller in the first inning. Joey Wiemer would follow that up with a 2-run home run in the second to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead.
A Joey Votto 2-homer would put the Reds would make it 4-2. However, Cincinnati would never get closer than that as Adames would hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th to make it 6-2.
Victor Caratini gave Milwaukee their largest lead of the game at five runs after knocking in a run on an RBI single in the 7th.
The final run for the Reds came on a Votto double in the ninth before Milwaukee got the series-opening win 7-3.
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Cincinnati would have better luck in game 2 on Saturday, winning 8-5.
Milwaukee held a 4-1 advantage heading into the 4th. Cincinnati got themselves back into the game with a Joey Votto 3-run blast to tie the game at 4. The Brewers regained a one-run lead in the bottom of the inning with a Brice Turang RBI triple.
In the fifth, Jake Fraley would drive in a run for the Reds to tie the game at 5.
The highlight of the game came in the top of the 7th inning. De La Cruz broke the tie in the inning with a two-out RBI single. De La Cruz stole second on a 1-1 pitch from Milwaukee’s Elvis Peguero. On the very next pitch, he stole third with no throw. After Peguero received the ball from catcher William Contreras, he turned his back, walked slowly back to the mound, giving De La Cruz an opening to steal home to give the Reds a 7-5 lead.
With those three steals, the rookie became the first Cincinnati Red to steal second, third, and home in the same inning since Greasy Neale in 1919.
A Jonathan India sacrifice fly would cap things off scoring-wise for Cincinnati in the ninth before Alexis Diaz closed things out in the 9th to earn his 26th save and give the Reds the 8-5 win.
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The final game of the series didn’t feature much offense as the Reds fell to Milwaukee 1-0 to end the series on Sunday
The lone run of the game would come in the bottom of the first on a Jesse Winker single to center.
Cincinnati would manage just 4 hits in the game. Kevin Newman and Matt McClain both recorded doubles.
Blake Lively took the loss on the mound, striking out 5 and walking 2 while allowing just 1 run.
Cincinnati enters the All-Star break with a 50-41 record and a one-game over the Brewers in the NL Central.
The Reds return to action on Friday night at Great American Ball Park when they begin another 3-game series with the Brewers.