Anthony DeSclafani, Eugenio Suarez lead Reds past Brewers 4-1

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Cincinnati Reds aren’t going anywhere this year unless Eugenio Suarez starts to maul balls again. The latest returns from the incumbent 3B have been better than the initial ones, and tonight he tattooed a vital big-fly that hearkened back to his dingering days of yore.

Suarez walked once, which was cool and all, but it was the 3-run dinger he blasted early in this quest to vanquish the Milwaukee Brewers that truly stood out. It was a vintage Suarez romp, too - a pulled blast into the LF seats that cleared the bases in a vital way. Hopefully, it’s the kind of swing that makes him sleep well at night and wake up hungry from more dingering, and we’re just now seeing the beginning of another classic Geno burst.

Matching Geno on the night was starter Anthony DeSclafani, who continued his scoreless start to the year. He fired 6 innings of low-stress ball, allowing just 2 hits and a walk against 6 K in his 88 pitch outing. It’s clear that David Bell is still easing him back into things after the shoulder issue that cost him an early start, but it’s also clear that Disco is plenty ready to tackle this year with vintage form. He hit 97 mph with his fastball, rarely was behind in counts, and generally looked just as good as his excellent form down the stretch last year.

That’s a pretty solid pairing, all told.

Key Plays

• The Reds struck early against Beers starter Brett Anderson, and did so with a little help from Milwaukee itself. Phil Ervin got the action started with a leadoff single in the Top of the 1st, and after Nick Castellanos lined out, Joey Votto rolled over on a ball to the right side that had inning-ending double play written all over it. Keston Hiura booted it, though, leaving a pair of runners on for Suarez, who parked a meatball into the LF seats for a 3-run blast. Reds led, 3-0.
• Kyle Farmer coaxed a walk off Corbin Burnes in the Top of the 7th, and as they are often wont to do, said walk haunted. Phlerv was taken down for Shogo as a pinch hitter with the righty on the mound, and promptly spanked a triple into the RF corner to drive in another Reds run. Reds led, 4-0.
• Disco’s excellent outing eventually was handed off to the bullpen, and while the 7th inning went well, the 8th - not so much. Michael Lorenzen was again given the task, and again struggled, allowing a Ben Gamel leadoff double - and Gamel eventually scored on a sac fly. Fortunately, he settled in to limit further damage, and the Reds led, 4-1.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• It’ll be a matchup of aces on Sunday in the series finale in Milwaukee, as Sonny Gray will toe the rubber for the Reds after a trio of brilliant outings already this year. The Beers will counter with Brandon Woodruff, with first pitch set for 2:10 PM ET.
• Tunes.