MILWAUKEE -- Brewers rookie Domingo Santana wanted to make a strong showing in his first start at Miller Park. He's certainly impressing his manager.
Santana homered and fellow rookie Taylor Jungmann pitched six strong innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
"That power is so -- appealing," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.
Santana appears to be the needed power-hitter that Milwaukee has lacked when he was acquired along with three other prospects from Houston at the trade deadline.
"It's always good to give a good first impression," said Santana, who was called up last Friday to start a five-game road trip. "But, I just try to keep everything simple. That's when you really start to get in trouble, when you try to do too much."
Jungmann (8-5) limited the Reds to three hits and three walks while striking out five in a strong start following his worst outing of the year on Saturday in Washington.
"I think a bounce-back start is always big," Jungmann said. "It's good for the psyche."
Cincinnati rookie Raisel Iglesias (3-6) turned in a solid performance of his own by retiring 16 straight during one stretch.
"He's a stud," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He's learning, he's growing up. That part has been great to watch. But not winning games, for everybody, is difficult."
Santana has a penchant for striking out, and swung wildly in his first at-bat against Iglesias for the 37th strikeout in 73 career at-bats.
After grounding out in the fourth, Santana homered to right-center field to lead off the seventh to give Milwaukee a 3-0 lead.
"I was just trying to look for something over the plate, a mistake and put a good swing on it," Santana said. "I was trying to hit a line drive over the second baseman and actually I put a better swing on it."
Lind's two-run double in the eighth capped scoring.
While St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago have made headlines in the NL Central this year, the Reds and Brewers are simply trying to avoid the basement of the majors' most competitive division. Milwaukee (54-74) snapped a four-game skid to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Cincinnati (52-75).
IMPROVING IGLESIAS
Iglesias was impressive, too, after a rocky first. Scooter Gennett walked to lead off the game and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's double. Khris Davis singled in Lucroy with one out to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.
Iglesias then retired 16 straight before allowing a two-out single in the sixth to Adam Lind. The Cuban right-hander finished with 10 strikeouts in seven innings on the heels of his 13-strikeout performance in a loss to Arizona on Sunday.
Iglesias has received just three runs in support over his six losses.
"This is a collective thing, a group thing," Iglesias said through an interpreter. "The team is struggling and in a bad situation right now."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers righty Tyler Cravy (right elbow impingement) likely will be used in a relief role when he returns from the 15-day disabled list. Cravy is expected to begin throwing again soon, and is eligible to return on Sept. 3.
UP NEXT
Reds rookie Keyvius Sampson (2-2, 5.55 ERA) gets his sixth start of his career on Saturday. Sampson has given up four homers in 24 1/3 innings, including two in his last start.
Brewers veteran Matt Garza (6-14, 5.26) faces off against Sampson. He went on the DL briefly in July with right shoulder tendinitis and pitched well in his first five starts back. But he's regressed in his last two, allowing 12 runs over 9 2/3 innings.
