The Milwaukee Brewers were unbeaten in the 2026 season against the Cincinnati Reds entering Tuesday night’s game. They remained that way thanks to a 7-2 win that gave them victories in each of the first two games in the 4-game series in Wisconsin at American Family Field.
Cincinnati grabbed an early lead when Sal Stewart hit the 7th pitch of the game on a line drive over the wall in right field and into the seats for a solo home run. Milwaukee got that run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning after Jake Bauers singles and took second base on a passed ball before scoring on a single by Garrett Mitchell that tied the game up.
Neither team would do much in the 3rd, but in the bottom of the 4th the Brewers did a whole lot. The first five batters of the inning singled, with the latter two of those bringing in runs. The first out of the inning came on a sacrifice bunt. A walk to load the bases followed before the 6th single of the inning came and plated another run to make it 5-1. Rhett Lowder would get out of the inning from there with a strikeout and a groundout. They would tack on another run in the 5th when Jake Bauers hit a 425-foot leadoff homer.
The Reds got that run back in the top of the 6th inning. Elly De La Cruz began the frame with a double. He came around to score when Sal Stewart followed up with a double of his own. The Brewers left Brandon Sproat in the game to face JJ Bleday after a mound visit and it worked out in their favor as he would pick up the strikeout. That, though, was the last batter he faced as Milwaukee called on Chad Patrick from the bullpen. He came in and got the final two outs of the inning to hold onto the 6-2 lead.
Cincinnati went down in order in the 7th. Elly De La Cruz picked up a 1-out single in the 8th but he was erased on an inning-ending double play a few pitches later. In the bottom of the inning Jackson Chourio hit a solo home run to extend the Brewers lead to 7-2.
Nathaniel Lowe would keep the Reds slim hopes alive in the 9th with a 2-out double. Terry Francona brought Ivan Johnson off of the bench to pinch hit. It was the MLB debut for the switch-hitting 27-year-old who was just called up earlier on Tuesday. He struck out to end the game as the Brewers domination of Cincinnati continued.
Key Moment of the Game
The 4th inning that saw the Brewers rally for four runs thanks to five singles and a walk.
Notes Worth Noting
Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart went 2-4 each. The rest of the Reds lineup went 2-23.
Brandon Sproat’s numbers against the rest of MLB this season: 63.2 innings pitched, 5.94 ERA, 32 walks, and 63 strikeouts. His numbers against the Reds in his last two games: 11.1 innings, 1.59 ERA, 5 hits allowed, 2 walks, 17 strikeouts.
Matt McLain, who played center field at UCLA as a freshman and then for a few weeks in the Arizona Fall League after the 2024 season, made his first appearance there as a big leagues in this game after pinch-hitting for TJ Friedl in the 8th and taking over for him in the field in the bottom of the inning.
Milwaukee is 5-0 against Cincinnati this season. Going back to 2022, the Brewers are 45-18 against the Reds.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers
Wednesday July 1st, 8:10pm ET
Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.90 ERA) vs Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.12 ERA)