Andruw Monasterio belted his first career homer in support of seven strong innings from Adrian Houser as the visiting Milwaukee Brewers won 5-1 on Sunday afternoon to secure their third straight victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
A sinker specialist, Houser (2-1) opened the game by retiring the first seven batters he faced and generated six groundouts over the first three innings.
Houser, 2-3 with a 6.14 ERA in eight previous starts at Great American Ball Park, held the Reds to one run and six hits over his seven innings.
Jake Fraley broke up the shutout with a solo homer to left center off Houser to lead off the seventh. It was Fraley’s second homer in as many games and his seventh of the season, one behind rookie Spencer Steer for the Cincinnati team lead.
The Reds have followed up a five-game winning streak with four straight losses.
The Brewers used the long ball to account for their first four runs. Monasterio clubbed a 400-foot homer to straightaway center, just over the reach of center fielder Will Benson and onto the grass berm, for a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Ben Lively (3-3) walked Owen Miller before striking out Rowdy Tellez for the second out. After a walk to Jon Singleton, Monasterio belted his first career home run.
Monasterio was forced from the game after he collided with Benson in the third inning, as Benson slid head first back into second base to avoid a pickoff. Monasterio suffered a cut on the bridge of his nose and was examined for a possible concussion.
He was replaced by Mike Brosseau in the batting order in the fourth while Miller moved from third to second base to take over for Monasterio.
The Brewers made it 4-0 when Victor Caratini crushed a Lively sinker an estimated 429 feet to the seats in right for his third homer to open the fifth. Miller added an RBI single later in the inning for the 5-0 lead.
Lively went seven innings for the first time since September 2017 with the Phillies, allowing a season-high five runs on six hits.
Rookie T.J. Hopkins, a day after his big-league debut, made his first major league start in left field for Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media
