MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a leadoff home run in the ninth inning against All-Star closer Josh Hader and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Saturday night in a game that included three ejections.
Suárez hit a 2-0 pitch from Hader (3-1) into the second deck of the right-field bleachers for his 18th homer.
Heath Hembree took care of Milwaukee in the bottom half for his second consecutive save and sixth overall, helping the Reds pull within five games of the NL Central-leading Brewers.
Josh Osich (2-0) got one out in the eighth for the win.
Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run homer off Reds reliever Brad Brach in the eighth to tie it at 3.
Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta, who will be replacing teammate Brandon Woodruff on the NL All-Star team, held Cincinnati hitless until All-Star Nick Castellano connected in the sixth for his 18th homer, a three-run homer that made it 3-1.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell then came out to get Peralta and was ejected by plate umpire Gabe Morales, presumably for arguing over balls and strikes.
Milwaukee star Christian Yelich was ejected by first base umpire John Libka in the bottom of the sixth after reaching on a wild throw by pitcher Vladimir Gutiérrez. Yelich turned toward second just enough that second baseman Jonathan India slapped a tag on him, Libka signaled out, and Yelich became irate, tossing his helmet.
Third base umpire Doug Eddings ejected Joey Votto in top of the eighth after the Reds star struck out swinging.
Gutiérrez allowed one run on five hits in six solid innings.
This is the third of seven consecutive games between these divisional foes. They’re playing a four-game series in Milwaukee this week and meet the Reds again in a three-game series in Cincinnati immediately after the All-Star break.
The Brewers won the opener of this series 5-3 on Thursday. The Reds got a measure of revenge Friday thanks to Wade Miley and his 2-0 gem.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: RHP Michael Lorenzen came out of his recent rehab start in good shape. Manager David Bell said that Lorenzen would stay with Triple-A Louisville, pitch on consecutive days and possibly be activated on Friday. He hasn’t pitched all season due to a right shoulder injury. … INF Mike Moustakas has made a slight improvement as he recovers from a right-heel injury.
Brewers: C Manny Piña got crossed up on a pitch and barehanded the ball in a freak play Friday night. He played through considerable pain and even managed to get a base hit. “It didn’t bother him catching or throwing,” Counsell said. “It was a little bothersome hitting. He’s going to be OK.”
BREWERS MAKE IT THREE STRAIGHT
Catcher Omar Narváez joined Peralta as a first-time All-Star when it was announced before the game that Narváez was named as a replacement for the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina, who replaced the Giants’ Buster Posey.
With the late addition of Narváez, the Brewers now have a franchise record five All-Stars (pitchers Peralta, Woodruff, Hader and Corbin Burnes) for the third consecutive time (2018, 2019 and 2021).
UP NEXT
RHP Luis Castillo (3-10, 4.81 ERA) starts for the Reds and faces RHP Brandon Woodruff (7-4, 2.10 ERA) and the Brewers in the first-half finale for both teams.
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