MILWAUKEE — In a thrilling offensive showcase, TJ Friedl delivered an impressive performance, going 4 for 5 and launching one of Cincinnati’s four home runs against Elvin Rodríguez, propelling the Reds to an 11-7 triumph over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night. This victory snapped a four-game losing streak for Cincinnati, while simultaneously ending Milwaukee’s own four-game winning run.
Contributing to the Reds’ powerful display were Blake Dunn, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Jose Trevino, each hitting homers to energize the lineup that had struggled in recent games. Prior to this game, Cincinnati had only managed 14 hits and suffered through a 35-inning dry spell without scoring. However, the tide turned dramatically against Rodríguez (0-2).
The game saw its momentum shift in the first inning when Elly De La Cruz walked with two outs and scored on Gavin Lux’s bloop double. This set off a scoring spree when, after retiring two batters in the second inning, Rodríguez gave up a homer to Dunn and a single to Trevino, followed by Friedl’s two-run home run.
Encarnacion-Strand displayed formidable power leading off the fourth inning with a colossal 451-foot homer against the centerfield scoreboard. Trevino added a two-run homer in the same inning, increasing Cincinnati’s lead to 7-0. Milwaukee’s Sal Frelick attempted to match this vigor, achieving a stellar 4 for 5 night with two singles, a double, and a triple.
Reds’ starting pitcher Brady Singer (2-0) conceded five runs—three of them earned—across five innings, but managed to strike out seven, maintaining focus despite a challenging outing with nine hits against him. A critical play emerged in the seventh inning as Oliver Dunn’s two-run double brought the Brewers within three, reducing Cincinnati’s lead to 10-7. However, Reds’ reliever Tony Santillan squashed Milwaukee’s momentum by striking out Isaac Collins, averting further damage.
A prominent struggle for Rodríguez has been filling in for Milwaukee’s injury-ridden pitching rotation, giving up 11 runs over his latest two starts, spanning nine innings.
On a brighter note for Cincinnati, emerging talent Chase Burns shone in his professional debut, delivering four shutout innings with six strikeouts for Single-A Dayton, despite a 7-0 defeat to West Michigan. His remarkable performance featured just one hit and a single walk allowed.
Looking ahead, Cincinnati’s right-hander Carson Spiers (0-1, 1.50 ERA) is slated to face Milwaukee’s right-hander Chad Patrick (0-0, 3.18 ERA) in the forthcoming matchup on Sunday.