Santana, Jungmann star for new-look Brewers

MILWAUKEE -- Twenty-five-year-old second baseman Scooter Gennett rolled out the door late on Friday atop the latest toy of choice in the Brewers' clubhouse, a motorized "personal mobility device" that is part-skateboard, part-Segway. He fits right in on a team that has skewed younger from the manager's office to the locker room -- and is poised to do the same in the general manager's suite.

A 5-0 win over the Reds was fueled by two members of the Brewers' youth movement. Domingo Santana introduced himself to the Miller Park faithful with a home run in his home debut, and Taylor Jungmann continued a first impression that began with his call-up in June.

"Youth is a beautiful thing," said Brewers hitting coach Darnell Coles, who was one of those guys himself, a first-round Draft pick who made it to the Majors with the Mariners at 21. "These guys are getting a chance to play down the stretch and see the best of what each team has."

Video: CIN@MIL: Jungmann throws six shutout innings

Jungmann, a 25-year-old Texan drafted in the first round by the Brewers in 2011, pitched six scoreless innings to snap the Brewers' streak of eight games without a quality start. Mixing in a changeup that eluded him six days earlier in Washington, Jungmann worked around three hits and three walks for the team's first outing of at least six innings with three or fewer earned runs since Jungmann pitched 6 1/3 scoreless frames against the Phillies on Aug. 16.

That outing, like this one, came at Miller Park, where Jungmann's ERA is down to 1.50 (seven earned runs in 42 innings).

"It wasn't an easy outing for me, either, but I think we needed one of those to maybe get us rolling," Jungmann said. "You never know with this game. It's been a tough stretch for us, but you work your way out of it."

Santana, 23, has yet to endure such a stretch. Acquired with three other prospects from the Astros on July 30 for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers, Santana was promoted to the Majors on Aug. 21 and homered that night against the Nationals. He homered again on Tuesday in Cleveland, and in the seventh inning on Friday against tough Reds starter Raisel Iglesias, who struck out 10 Brewers batters including Santana in Milwaukee's two-run first inning. Like the solo shot in Cleveland, Santana cleared the fence to the opposite field.

"It's always good to give a good first impression," Santana said. "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. Just trying to go out there and keep everything simple."

So far, it's been a favorable impression. Santana has split time with Shane Peterson in center field and spelled Ryan Braun in right, but is hitting his way into every day duty, said manager Craig Counsell, who planned to start Santana again on Saturday.

"I think he needs to start to experience this," Counsell said. "There's still going to be some guys he doesn't face, but he's having quality at-bats. That power is so appealing in this park."