Elly De La Cruz kept the Reds’ offense buzzing, and Cincinnati rode that wave to a wild 12-8 win over the Brewers on Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
It was the kind of game that kept swinging back and forth all day, with walks piling up, clutch hits landing, and both teams taking turns looking in control. In the end, the Reds had the bigger blows and the steadier finish, sealing a series victory at home over Milwaukee for the first time in four years.
Cincinnati set the tone early. Dane Myers opened the bottom of the first with a double and scored on a Tyler Stephenson single.
The Reds added more in the second, when Matt McLain and Juan Brito singled back-to-back before a walk to Myers loaded the bases. McLain came home on a fielder’s choice after a throw to the plate bounced away, and Sal Stewart followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
The lead grew again in the third. Eugenio Suarez drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a two-out double by Brito. Hector Rodriguez then singled, but Brito was cut down at the plate trying to score and the inning ended there.
Milwaukee finally punched back in the fourth. Christian Yelich walked to start the frame, then Jake Bauers launched a two-run homer to get the Brewers on the board. Garrett Mitchell followed with a triple and scored on a sacrifice bunt after Brady Singer fielded the ball and threw wildly to the plate.
Cincinnati answered immediately. Myers singled to start the bottom of the fourth, and Elly De La Cruz followed with a two-run homer into the seats in right center.
After Sal Stewart singled and Suarez walked, JJ Bleday popped out, ending the day for Kyle Harrison. Antonio Senzatela entered with runners on second and third and two outs and got the strikeout he needed to keep the damage from getting worse.
Singer returned for the fifth, got two quick outs, and then the inning unraveled. He walked Jackson Chourio and Bauers before giving up an RBI single to Garrett Mitchell and a two-run double to Brice Turang that pulled Milwaukee even at 6-6.
The tie didn’t last long. Juan Brito and Myers walked around a Rodriguez single to load the bases with nobody out, and De La Cruz made the Brewers pay.
He ripped a two-run double that left the bat at 116.6 MPH and pushed Cincinnati back in front. Stephenson added another run later in the inning with a single.
The Reds’ bullpen then held the line. Luis Mey got a perfect sixth with help from his corner outfielders.
Brock Burke worked around a leadoff single in the seventh to keep the 9-6 cushion intact. Graham Ashcraft, back from the injured list, ran into trouble right away in the eighth by walking the first two batters he faced, and Bo Naylor singled in a run.
But Ashcraft settled in from there, striking out a batter, getting a force out, and then another strikeout to escape further damage.
Cincinnati answered that run right back in the bottom of the eighth. McLain walked and moved to second on a Brito single, then Rodriguez singled to right to score McLain. With the infield in, Myers hit a grounder toward third that slipped under David Hamilton’s glove, and the error brought in two more runs to make it 12-7.
The ninth got messy before it finally ended. Pierce Johnson needed only two pitches to record the first out, then walked the next two hitters.
Brice Turang singled in a run to cut it to 12-8, and Cooper Pratt followed with what looked like a game-ending double play. Milwaukee challenged, Pratt was ruled safe, and the Brewers had life with runners on the corners and two outs.
Terry Francona then went to Emilio Pagan, and Milwaukee answered by sending Gary Sanchez up to pinch hit. Pagan got a chopper, Matt McLain handled the short hop beautifully, and the Reds had their final out.
Cincinnati finished with 14 hits. Myers, De La Cruz, Stephenson, Brito, and Rodriguez all had multiple hits, and Myers and De La Cruz each walked multiple times. De La Cruz also extended his run of multi-hit games to four straight.
The game was a walk-heavy one on both sides, with more walks than strikeouts for each team. Five players drew multiple walks, and for Milwaukee, the only pitcher who didn’t issue more than one walk faced just one batter.
Monday September 7th, 9:10pm ET
In Other News...
Reds Just Sent Edwin Arroyo A Tough Message Before Dodgers Series
The Reds got a bit healthier in the infield ahead of a big series, activating KeBryan Hayes from the 10-day injured list and sending Edwin Arroyo to Triple-A Louisville. It is the kind of roster move that says as much about performance as it does about health, and for Arroyo it comes after a rough stretch in the majors that never quite found a rhythm.
Arroyo went 1-for-18 with seven strikeouts in six games, a difficult line for any young player trying to hold onto a spot. With fellow rookie Juan Brito having outperformed him and settled into that role, Arroyo now heads back to Louisville with the Reds making a clear short-term choice as they prepare for the Dodgers. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Added Outfield Insurance For A Stretch Run Concern
The Reds have added a little more outfield depth for the final weeks of the season, signing veteran Dominic Fletcher to a minor league deal. Fletcher last appeared in the majors in 2025 and comes to Cincinnati after using a release clause to leave Triple-A with the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving the organization another experienced option to stash in the system as it looks to protect itself against late-season roster wear.
It is the kind of move that rarely grabs headlines, but it matters for a club trying to stay nimble with the schedule tightening up. Cincinnati has gotten plenty of impact from Elly De La Cruz, who continues to rate among the Reds best position players and one of the top shortstops in the league, so the front office can afford to keep building the margins around the roster while the stretch run sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Fans Have A New Ownership Rumor To Watch
The recent sale of the Los Angeles Angels has stirred up a familiar kind of chatter around baseball, and now the Reds have been pulled into it. According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, rival owners believe Cincinnati could be the next club to change hands, a notable bit of speculation for a franchise whose current direction has long been a source of fan frustration under the Castellini family.
For now, there is no official indication the Reds are actually on the market, which is what makes the rumor worth watching rather than treating it as fact. Still, any mention of a possible sale lands with some weight in Cincinnati, where executives have faced plenty of scrutiny and the question of ownership has become part of the larger conversation about where the organization is headed next. [Read more 🡒]