MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
Today’s Transactions
LHP Bennett Sousa was recalled from Triple-A Nashville…..the team optioned RHP Jake Cousins there.
On The Mend
SS Willy Adames, who has been on the concussion list since May 27, will begin a rehab assignment today with Class-A Wisconsin as they host Peoria (Cardinals) at 12:10 p.m. CT.
A Series Situation
The Brewers went 5-1 over their first 6 series this season and have since gone 3-9 in series play…..they look for a series win this afternoon.
Road Work Ahead
The Brewers are looking to win their first road series since they swept 3 games in Seattle from April 17-19…..the team has gone 6-11 on the road since then, losing 5 straight series.
Four Goodness Sake!
The Brewers yesterday improved to a Major League-best 27-4 (.871) when scoring at least 4 runs.
Sealing The Deal
The Brewers are 31-0 when leading (26-0) or tied (5-0) after 8 innings.
Stop, Thief!
The Brewers yesterday surrendered a franchise-record 9 stolen bases….. the previous high of 7 was done twice against the Dodgers on 8/23/99 and 6/3/17, both times in Milwaukee.
Blake Street Bomber
Blake Perkins belted a grand slam for his first Major League home run yesterday…..Perkins became the fifth player in franchise history to hit a grand slam for his first career homer, joining Bill Spiers (1989), Tim Unroe (1997), Shaun Marcum (2011) and Brice Turang (2023).
Devin Can Wait
Devin Williams yesterday appeared in a game in consecutive days for only the second time in 2023…..he also did it from 4/28-4/29 against the Angels.
Better Off Red
Since joining the Brewers in 2018, Christian Yelich has played 77 games against Cincinnati and has hit .304 (86-for-283) with 17 HR and 50 RBI.
TODAY’S GAME: Is game 6 (3-2) of a 7-game road trip to Toronto (1-2) and Cincinnati (2-0)…..following this trip, the Brewers return to American Family Field for a 6-game homestand against Baltimore (3g) and Oakland (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: SS Willy Adames (concussion), RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP JB Bukauskas (neck), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), LHP Eric Lauer (right shoulder), LHP Wade Miley (left lat), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), 1B Darin Ruf (right knee), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow), OF Jesse Winker (neck) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list….. Alexander, Ashby, Mitchell, Urías, Wilson and Woodruff are on the 60-day IL.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 8-10-0 in series play.
Game 1: 8-11, Game 2: 12-7, Game 3: 9-9, Game 4: 2-0
Sweep Wins (3): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14)
Sweep Losses (1): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 16-12 at home, going 5-4-0 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 15-15 on the road, going 3-6-0 in series play…..are 6-11 over their last 17 games and have dropped their last 5 series…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 10 replay challenges this season, going 5-5…..their last challenge (lost) came on May 25 vs. San Francisco as a foul tip (Joey Wiemer) stood
TODAY’S STARTER: #37 – RHP ADRIAN HOUSER (5gs, 1-1, 4.07)
HOUSER AT A GLANCE: Adrian Houser, 30, will be making his sixth start of the season…..Houser last started on Tuesday at Toronto and took a 7-2 loss (4.1ip, 11h, 7r, 6er, 3bb, 3k, 1wp, 95 pitches)…..his 11 hits allowed marked a career high…..the team is 3-2 in his starts…..he has 1 quality start…..opponents are batting .314 (32-for-102, 1hr)…..Houser began the season on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain…..he was sent to Triple-A Nashville on rehab assignment on April 14, where he made 4 starts…..Houser was acquired from Houston, along with LHP Josh Hader, OF Brett Phillips and OF Domingo Santana, in exchange for OF Carlos Gómez, RHP Mike Fiers and International Signing Bonus Slot #76 on 7/30/15.
LAST SEASON: Houser went 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 22 games/21 starts last season…..the team went 9-12 in his starts…..he made 6 quality starts…..opponents batted .258….. he posted a 2.98 ERA over his first 8 starts of the season (42.1ip, 14er) and a 6.17 ERA over his last 13 starts (58.1ip, 40er)…..he was on the 15-day injured list from 7/1-8/23 with a right flexor strain and from 9/28 through the remainder of the season with a right groin strain.
CAREER: Is 24-30 with a 3.98 ERA in 111 games/81 starts (452.1ip, 200er)…..is in his seventh Major League season, all with the Brewers (2015, 2018-23)…..has gone 19-30 with a 4.30 ERA as a starter (396ip, 189er) and 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA in relief (56.1ip, 11er)…..underwent “Tommy John” surgery on his right elbow on 7/21/16.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 9-14 with a 3.45 ERA in 56 games/39 starts (222ip, 85er)…..is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 2 starts this season (9.1ip, 3er)
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 15-16 with a 4.49 ERA in 55 games/42 starts (230.1ip, 115er)…..is 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA in 3 starts this season (15ip, 8er).
CAREER vs. REDS: Is 4-4 with a 5.31 ERA in 15 games/12 starts (61ip, 36er), including 3-1 with a 4.71 ERA in 4 starts last season (21ip, 11er)…..is 2-3 with a 6.14 ERA in 8 career starts at Great American Ball Park (36.2ip, 25er).
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
REDS TRANSACTION
- The Reds today assigned to the Taxi Squad LHP Andrew Abbott (#41).
RED HOTS
- Sat vs Mil, recorded 9 stolen bases for the 1st time since 5/30/1976 vs LA (Fraley 3, Steer 2, India 2, Benson, & Fairchild)…the Reds’ modern-era (since 1900) record for SB in a game is 10 on 5/29/1913 at St. Louis.
- Reds have 57 stolen bases this season, which rank 3rd in the Majors (TB 81, Pit 62)…last seeason had 58 stolen bases.
- The Reds entered today ranked T29th (Wsh 45hr) in the Major Leagues with 45 HR (Cle 30th), their fewest in 58 games since the 2001 team produced 45 HR through its first 58 games…from 4/18-4/25, this year’s team did not produce a home run in a season-high 8 consecutive games, their longest team homerless streak since 1992.
RED HOTTEST
- 1B Spencer Steer was named National League Rookie of the Month for May (27g, .318, 35h, 18r, 8 2b, 1 3b, 6hr, 19rbi, .372obp, .573slg, .945ops)… last month he led National League rookies in games (tied), runs, hits and RBI…became the first Reds rookie with at least 35 hits in a calendar month since José Peraza in September 2016 (36h)…is the Reds’ first NL Rookie of the Month since 2B Jonathan India won in July 2021 on his way to the Rookie of the Year award.
- Reigning National League Player of the Week and rookie Matt McLain has a 10-game hitting streak, the longest by a Reds batter this season (.413, .460obp, .609slg, 1.069ops)…is the first Reds player to produce a 10-game hitting streak within his first 15 career apps since Dan Driessen in 1973…since 1900 is only the third Reds player to produce at least 23 hits in his first 15 career apps (Chuck Aleno, 24 hits, 1941 & Jay Bruce, 23 hits, 2008)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Kevin Newman in his last 20 apps is hitting .362 w/ a .929 OPS.
- Spencer Steer in May, hit .318 (27g, 35h, 18r, 8 2b, 1 3b, 6hr, 19rbi, .372obp, .573slg, .945ops)…last month led National League rookies in games (tied), runs, hits and RBI…is on the ballot to become the Reds’ first NL Rookie of the Month since 2B Jonathan India in July 2021 on his way to the Rookie of the Year award…for the season, leads Major League rookies in extra-base hits, is tied for the lead in doubles and leads National League rookies in hitting, hits, doubles and total bases.
- RHP Alexis Díaz didn’t allow a run in any of his last 7 apps (7.1ip)…has converted all 13 save chances, the longest conversion streak of his career and the longest by a Reds pitcher since 2009 (Francisco Cordero, 15sv).
- RHP Buck Farmer in his last 19 apps has posted a 1.19 ERA.
- Hunter Greene in his last 3 starts is 1-1, 2.37 (19ip, 6h, 8bb, 29k).
- RHP Ben Lively in his 3 starts has posted a 2.08 ERA.
- LHP Alex Young in his last 10 apps has posted a 1.35 ERA.
TODAY’S GAME
- Is Game 3 (0-2) of a 4-game series vs Mike Vassallo’s Brewers and Game 3 (0-2) of a 7-game homestand that concludes with a 3-game series vs LAD.
- The Reds are coming off a 5-1 road trip to two oldest ballparks in the Major Leagues, Chc’s Wrigley Field (1914, 3-0) and Bos’ Fenway Park (1912, 2-1)…included their first series sweep at Wrigley Field since 8/12-8/14, 2013 (3g) and their first series win vs Bos since the 1975 World Series.
- Following this homestand, the Reds hit the road again for a 10-day, 9-game road trip to StL (3g), KC (3g) and Hou (off day, 3g).
- Fri night’s sold-out crowd of 44,074 was the largest during the regular season in Great American Ball Park’s 21-year history… it was the fifth-largest crowd overall, including Postseason games in 2010 & 2012.
SERIES NOTES
- Over the last 5 seasons, the Brewers’ .705 winning percentage (31-13) at GABP is the best of any NL Central Division team in that span.
- In 2022 the Brewers won 4 of last season’s 6 series and 13 of the 19 games.
- The Reds’ 6-game losing streak vs Mil at GABP from 6/17-9/24, 2022 tied their longest single-season home losing streak to the Brewers (2015).
- Reds pitchers in 2022 allowed 44 HR to Mil, the most by Brewers batters against any team in a single season and the most allowed to any team in a season by Reds’ pitchers…the 2017 Brewers rank third on the Reds pitchers’ single-season HR allowed list (38hr), behind the 2016 Cubs (42hr)…@EliasSports.
- Hunter Renfroe in 2022 hit 8 HR at Great American Ball Park, the most by any opposing player in a single season.
- The 18 runs scored by the Brewers in an 18-4 win on 5/4/22 at AFF was their highest total ever in a game vs the Reds.
DODGERS UP NEXT
- Dating back to a 3-1 win on 9/17/21 at Great American Ball Park, the Reds have lost the last 9 games vs LAD.
- Last season’s 7-0 series win by the Dodgers was only the third season series sweep by either team, all won by LAD (6-0 in 2006, 6-0 in 2017).
- The Dodgers’ .625 winning percentage at Great American Ball Park (40-24) is the best by any National League team.
Today’s Pitcher – #59 Ben Lively, RHP
- This afternoon is making his sixth appearance and fourth start for the Reds.
- Will be his first career appearance and start vs the Brewers…has faced only Christian Yelich (2-3, 1 2b, 1rbi).
- In Tue’s 9-8 win at Bos threw 5.2 innings in the longest scoreless start of his career.
- Posted a 1.69 ERA in his 2 relief apps (5.1ip, 1er, .238baa) and a 2.08 ERA in his 3 starts (17.1ip, 4er, .177baa).
- Joined the Reds from Louisville on 5/9, when RHP Luis Cessa was designated for assignment.
- Made his Reds debut in the second inning of the 5-0 win on 5/11 vs NYM…relieved spot starter Derek Law and threw 3.0 scoreless innings, still tied for the longest appearance by a Reds reliever this season…was his first Major League appearance since 4/28/19 for KC vs LAA, his only appearance of that season, and his first win since his last appearance of the 2017 season (9/27/19 for Phi vs NYM).
- His start on 5/19 vs the Yankees was his first start in the Major Leagues since since 4/26/18 for Phi vs Ari
