Miller Park a launching pad as Reds outslug Crew
MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers finally had a big night at the plate. They just happened to do it while the Reds played home run derby.
About 24 hours after matching their season high with six runs in a series-opening victory, the Reds more than doubled that total by the sixth inning of a 16-10 win over the reeling Brewers on Tuesday in which the teams matched a Major League record by hitting three grand slams. The Reds accounted for two of them as part of a five-homer barrage.
"I think what impressed me more than anything about our club was to be able to come back and do it again and continue to add on," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "Usually when you score 16, you feel like you've got enough, but it was one of those things where we had to keep answering and we had to keep creating that distance."
Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier hit two-out grand slams in consecutive innings off Brewers starter Mike Fiers. Zack Cozart hit two home runs and Joey Votto added another, his sixth of the season. Votto has hit as many baseballs over the fence this season as the Brewers' whole roster, though Milwaukee's total was boosted by Martin Maldonado's two-run shot in the third inning and Elian Herrera's grand slam in the sixth.
Video: CIN@MIL: Cozart rips his second homer of the game
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Making the most of a miscue: All of the Reds' runs on Bruce's third-inning slam were unearned because of an error charged to Jason Rogers, who threw wildly to first base on his first fielding opportunity. It loaded the bases with two outs for Bruce's fourth career grand slam. More >
Video: CIN@MIL: Phillips goes to first on a throwing error
Replacement players: Moments after Bruce silenced Miller Park, Maldonado turned the volume back up with a two-run home run, and Herrera followed three batters later with an RBI double as part of a game-tying, four-run rally. It was Maldonado's first start since starting catcher Jonathan Lucroy was lost to a broken toe, and Herrera's first start since a callup from Triple-A earlier in the day to replace injured second baseman Scooter Gennett. More >
Video: CIN@MIL: Maldonado connects on a two-run shot to left
"I don't care about that if we're not winning the game," Maldonado said. "My job is to get the pitchers through the ballgame, and I feel like I didn't do that today."
Another slam: That Brewers lead didn't last, because Fiers found himself in trouble again in the top of the fourth. Two singles and a two-out walk to Votto drew a mound visit from Brewers pitching coach Rick Kranitz. Frazier promptly smacked his first career grand slam to put the Reds ahead for good.
And another: The Brewers had not scored more than six runs in a game this season until Herrera connected against Reds reliever Burke Badenhop for a sixth-inning grand slam that briefly cut the deficit to 13-10. Not only was it Herrera's first career grand slam, it was his second career home run, and his first since 2012 with the Dodgers. With five RBIs on Tuesday, Herrera matched his total from 69 games with the Brewers last season.
Video: CIN@MIL: Herrera smacks a grand slam to right field
QUOTABLE
"It's because I don't think it helps. … Everybody's pressing; everybody's trying to do too much. So does it help them to relax if I'm losing it and I'm going off on them? Believe me, if I thought that would help, I would do it." -- Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, on why he's kept his cool as the losses mount
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
This game marked only the fourth time in Major League history that teams combined for three grand slams in a game. The last was Aug. 25, 2011, when the Yankees accounted for all three against the A's. The only other National League game with three grand slams was June 3, 1987, when the Cubs hit two in a 22-7 win over the Astros. Current Reds first-base coach Billy Hatcher hit a grand slam for Houston in that game. More >
The last time the Reds had two grand slams in one game was Aug. 21, 1999, by Aaron Boone and Eddie Taubensee in a 9-3 victory over the Montreal Expos. At the time, they were the only team in the majors that season that had yet to hit a grand slam. And according to Stats, Inc., the Reds became the first team to hit two-out grand slams in consecutive innings since the Giants did so on Sept 19, 1998.
Video: CIN@MIL: Reds, Brewers combine for three grand slams
On the flip side, Fiers became the first pitcher to give up two grand slams in the same game since the Tigers' Daniel Schlereth on June 28, 2011. More >
WHAT'S NEXT
Reds: Johnny Cueto has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his three starts -- twice striking out 10 -- without a victory. He is 0-2 with a 2.14 ERA. Cueto is 7-3 against the Brewers in 16 career starts, but all three of those losses have come at Miller Park.
Brewers: Jimmy Nelson had a shaky spring but has been one of the Brewers' best starters during the regular season, holding the Pirates in a pair of starts to a .184 batting average (7-for-38) without allowing a home run. The third installment of this four-game series begins at 7:10 p.m. CT.
Watch every out-of-market regular season game live on MLB.TV.