Bourgeois, Duran go deep in win over Brewers
Both drive in pair of runs as Reds conclude Cactus League schedule
PHOENIX -- Jason Bourgeois homered and drove in a pair of runs Thursday to help beat his former team, as a Reds split squad topped the Brewers, 8-2, in the spring finale at Maryvale Baseball Park.
Bourgeois, who played for the Brewers in 2009, knocked an RBI single off Kyle Lohse in the third inning and hit a solo home run off Lohse in the fifth before the Reds pulled away against Milwaukee Minor Leaguers. Juan Duran took Bourgeois' spot in the batting order and smacked a two-run homer in the seventh.
After the game, both teams boarded eastbound flights. The Brewers host the Royals in a pair of exhibitions at Miller Park on Friday and Saturday, while the Reds play their Double-A affiliate in Pensacola, Fla., on Friday and their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville on Saturday.
"It always feels good to get out of Spring Training, even though we've got a couple more exhibition games," Lohse said. "What's really cool is for the guys who made Opening Day for the first time. You see how excited they are, and that's the cool part."
Ryan Braun delivered an RBI double in the first inning against Reds right-hander J.J. Hoover, but Brewers bats were otherwise silent until Hunter Morris homered in the eighth.
Lohse was charged with two runs on five hits in five innings. His next start will be against the Braves at Miller Park in the second game of the regular season.
At the plate, Lohse had an opportunity to snap a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning, when he batted with the bases loaded and one out. He hit a comebacker to Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who initiated a 1-2-3 double play.
"I don't know what happened there," Lohse told the Brewers' television audience after exiting. "That was ugly."
As he spoke, Lohse was leaning on a shovel.
"I'm going to use this next time," he joked.
Up next: The Reds broke camp after Thursday's game and headed to Pensacola, Fla., where they play the Double-A Blue Wahoos on Friday night at 7:05 ET (live on Gameday Audio). Mike Leake will make the start. On Saturday, the Reds move on to Triple-A Louisville for a 4 p.m. ET start, with Homer Bailey on the mound vs. the Bats. After an off-day on Sunday, the Reds open the regular season Monday at 4:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Johnny Cueto is slated to make his third consecutive Opening Day start.