Brewers look to get back on winning track vs. Reds (Apr 29, 2018)
The Milwaukee Brewers quickly went from being one of the majors' hottest teams to one of its coldest. The Cincinnati Reds went from being the majors' worst team to being -- well, still the worst team, but not quite as bad.
The Reds, winners of only seven of 28 games, will be coming off their first multi-game series win of the season when they return to Great American Ball Park to play the suddenly slumping Brewers on Monday night.
Cincinnati took two of three weekend games at Minnesota, scoring 23 runs in the two wins, after splitting a four-game series with Atlanta last week. For a team that won only three of its first 21 games, taking four of seven is a major improvement.
"Every win means a lot," interim manager Jim Riggleman said after an 8-2 victory Sunday. "We're just trying to put together any and all wins we can. We've been having a hard time."
So are the Brewers, who scored only two runs all weekend while being swept by the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series at Wrigley Field -- ending the momentum they generated by winning their previous eight games.
"We didn't get much going," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I think a change of venue, going someplace new is the most positive thing (right now). It's a different venue. ... We're going to score some runs."
The Monday pitching matchup will be between Brewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (2-1) and Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan (0-2), who were both pulled quickly during their previous outings.
Chacin, who is with his sixth team in five seasons, was removed from Milwaukee's 6-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday despite pitching effectively for 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs and four hits while striking out three and walking none.
Counsell liked what he saw -- even if Chacin would have liked to have seen a few more hitters.
"He got 17 outs," Counsell said. "I thought if you got 17 outs, that's great. That's what we are looking for."
Finnegan, still coming back from a biceps injury that delayed his start to the season, similarly was looking to face a few more hitters himself Wednesday but was pulled after five innings and 77 pitches from what became a 5-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Finnegan, who has pitched only 12 1/3 innings in three starts, left with a one-run lead.
"I definitely wanted to go out (for the sixth inning)," Finnegan said. "I'm not a five-and-dive guy. (But) Riggleman said it would be smart. I'm not going to argue with him."
Riggleman, since replacing former manager Bryan Price a couple of weeks ago, is showing he's not afraid to make changes in a hurry. He's employing the bullpen even earlier in games than Price did, and he sat down slumping outfielder Billy Hamilton -- who's hitting only .138 in his last 10 games -- and started Scott Schebler in center field Sunday against the Twins.
"It's not that I'm less concerned with their (players') feelings," Riggleman said. "It is important, but it's secondary to what you feel is the right thing to do. Believe me, you never come to the ballpark saying, 'I hope I get to pinch-hit for somebody today.'"
Chacin is 2-3 with a 3.64 ERA in eight games against the Reds, including six starts. Joey Votto is 6-for-18 (.333) against him with two homers and four RBIs, but Eugenio Suarez is 0-for-5 and Scooter Gennett is 1-for-9 (.111). Hamilton is 1-for-3 with a triple.
Finnegan hasn't started against the Brewers since shutting them out for five innings in a 4-2 victory on Sept. 25, 2016. He pitched only one inning against them a season ago, allowing two runs. In his career, he is 2-1 in six games and five starts, but most of the current Brewers have only a handful of at-bats against him.
The Brewers took two of three from the Reds at Miller Park on April 16-18, winning the final two games by identical 2-0 scores.
