When Brewers pitchers went over the strengths and weaknesses of Cincinnati’s hitters to prepare for their series Nyheim Hines Jersey Colts , they included reliever Michael Lorenzen in the mix.
They need to do more studying.
Lorenzen hit the second grand slam by a Reds pitcher in a week – and his third homer in his last three at-bats – as Cincinnati pulled away to a 12-3 victory Saturday, ending a seven-game losing streak against Milwaukee.
Lorenzen’s pinch-hit grand slam off Jacob Barnes in the seventh inning completed an eight-run rally, Cincinnati’s biggest of the season. Lorenzen’s fifth career homer drew a curtain call from the crowd of 24,640.
”It was a surreal feeling, for sure,” Lorenzen said. ”I love this game and everything about it.”
It was the reliever’s second homer in the series. He also had a solo shot Friday during Milwaukee’s 8-2 win.
”The guy’s swinging the bat really well, that’s for sure,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ”We treat him as a position player. We covered him in scouting meetings. We’re going to have to make some adjustments.”
One week earlier, Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani hit a grand slam off Cubs left-hander Brian Duensing at Great American Ball Park.
Lorenzen avoided the temptation to swing at a slider, and then hit a fastball deep to left field.
”The Reds have always put together some good-hitting pitchers, going back to Travis Wood and those guys,” Brewers catcher Erik Kratz said. ”You have to know who those guys are and where they want the ball and not throw it there.”
Tyler Mahle struck out a career-high 12 batters in 5 2/3 innings, three shy of the Reds’ rookie record. David Hernandez (3-0) pitched the top of the seventh.
The Reds fanned 18 batters Bills Phillip Gaines Jersey , a club record for a nine-inning game.
The Brewers’ depleted bullpen couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the seventh. Cincinnati’s first eight batters reached safely against three relievers, with left-hander Mike Zagurski (0-1) taking the loss in his first major league appearance since 2013.
The NL Central leaders also were missing two starting position players. Christian Yelich left Thursday’s game with back tightness, and Ryan Braun came out of Friday’s game with the same issue. Counsell said Braun could be available on Sunday.
Eric Thames homered off Mahle, his 14th home run in 22 career games against Cincinnati. Thames hit 10 last year, the most by a Brewers player against the Reds in one season.
LORENZEN LORE
The last pinch-hit grand slam by a Reds player came from Chris Heisey on April 13, 2014, against Tampa Bay. Lorenzen’s three homers this season are the most by a Reds pitcher since Micah Owings had three in 2009. The last major league pitcher to homer in three straight at-bats was Colorado’s Mike Hampton in 2001.
POWER SURGE
In the last eight days, Reds pitchers have produced four homers – three by Lorenzen, one by DeSclafani. For the season, Lorenzen is 4 for 6 with three homers and six RBIs.
MAHLE’S STRIKEOUTS
Mahle’s 12 strikeouts were the most by a Reds pitcher since Amir Garrett also fanned 12 Orioles on April 19, 2017. The club record for strikeouts by a rookie is 15 by Gary Nolan on June 7, 1967, against the Giants.
TRADING PLACES
With the game out of hand Kolton Miller Jersey Elite , Kratz moved to the mound for the eighth inning – his third career pitching appearance – and gave up a pair of runs.
”I’d rather catch nine innings and do high-fives,” he said.
REDS DEAL
The Reds sent minor league catcher Joe Hudson to the Angels for cash. The 27-year-old Hudson has never played in the majors. He batted .235 with no homers and three RBIs in 16 games for Triple-A Louisville this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Zach Davies had a setback in what was expected to be his final minor league rehab assignment as he recovers from a sore shoulder. He lasted only three innings and gave up 10 runs and three hits for Class A Wisconsin on Friday night, leaving after just 48 pitches because of a sore back.
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey will make his fourth rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Louisville. He’s been sidelined since June 2 because of a sore right knee. Bailey is 1-7 with a 6.68 ERA.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Freddy Peralta (3-0) makes his fifth start. The Brewers are 4-0 in his starts. Opponents are batting .093 against the right-hander.
Reds: Matt Harvey (3-5) makes his 10th start for the Reds, who got him from the Mets in a trade for catcher Devin Mesoraco on May 8. Harvey has allowed six runs in his last three starts spanning 17 2/3 innings.
—
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he hadn’t decided whether to actually discipline players who protest during the national anthem when he formally told the team that the demonstrations could be punishable.
”We were asked to submit a form to the NFL on our overall discipline policy prior to the start of the rookie report date,” Ross said in a statement Friday, explaining why a one-sentence reference to ”Proper Anthem Conduct” was included in the team’s official discipline policy. ”The one line sentence related to the national anthem was a placeholder as we haven’t made a decision on what we would do, if anything, at that point.”
President Donald Trump, a frequent critic of protesting players, said Friday that players should be suspended for a game for kneeling once, then suspended for the season with no pay if they kneel a second time.
”Isn’t it in contract that players must stand at attention, hand on heart? The $40,000 Ezekiel Elliott Jersey Elite ,000 Commissioner must now make a stand,” Trump tweeted, referring to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Miami’s policy was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press and listed anthem conduct under behavior that could be found ”detrimental to the club.” It was the final bullet point on Miami’s list.
The list contains a wide range of potential violations, including criminal acts, breaking curfew, using or possessing drugs, riding a motorcycle, visiting public places declared off-limits by the club and inappropriate use of tablets and mobile devices. It also says players can be punished for criticizing teammates, officials or NFL executives.
All of the violations carry potential penalties of suspension with or without pay, or fines. The maximum penalty – rarely given by clubs themselves – is a four-game suspension and a fine of another week of pay.
A person familiar with league protocol told The Associated Press on Friday that NFL teams were not required to create any anthem policies when they submitted their annual discipline notices to the league and players. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of anthem discussions between the league and players union are private.
The NFL and NFL Players Association said in a joint statement Thursday night that they planned to pause enforcement on league anthem rules while working out a resolution acceptable to players, team owners and the league.
Officials for the league and union declined comment on Friday on how they would chart a path forward with the first preseason game less than two weeks away.
Discord over how players should protest social injustice has put the sport at a difficult crossroads, revealing deep divisions in football itself much like those throughout the United States.
In 2016, then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began protesting police brutality Mike Remmers Jersey Vikings , social injustice and racial inequality by kneeling during ”The Star-Spangled Banner” and the demonstration spread to other players and teams. It became one of the most controversial and sensitive issues in sports.
Trump has led the critics, calling players unpatriotic and even saying NFL owners should fire any player who refused to stand during the anthem. Some players countered that their actions were being misconstrued and that they are seeking social change rather than protesting the anthem itself, the flag or the military.
Trump’s criticism led more than 200 players to protest during one weekend, and some kept it up throughout the season.
The NFL rule that was passed in May forbids players from sitting or taking a knee if they are on the field or sidelines during the national anthem, but allowed them to stay in the locker room if they wish. The league left it up to teams on how to punish players. The new league rules were challenged this month in a grievance by the players union.
The league and a coalition of players have been working in tandem to support player initiatives for a variety of social issues. The NFL is committing $90 million over the next seven years to social justice causes in a three-segment plan that involves league players.
Kaepernick didn’t play at all last season and still hasn’t been picked up by another team. He threw 16 touchdown passes and four interceptions in his final season in 2016. Safety Eric Reid, one of Kaepernick’s former teammates and another protest leader, is also out of work.
Both have pending collusion grievances against the NFL.
Reid left The Players Coalition in November because he said founder Malcolm Jenkins excluded Kaepernick from meetings and asked players if they would stop protesting the anthem if the NFL made a charitable donation to causes they support. Jenkins maintained that despite some disagreements, they were fighting for the same cause: changing systematic oppression.
—
.