Nine innings produced nothing. Then the 10th settled everything. The Milwaukee Brewers scored twice in extra innings to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 on Monday at Great American Ball Park, ending a game that had been dominated by the starting pitchers on both sides.
Brady Singer was the story for most of the night. The Cincinnati right-hander worked 7.0 innings, allowing just 2 hits and 0 runs while striking out 7 on 106 pitches. It was the kind of start that wins most games. Singer carries a 4.81 ERA and finished with no decision. Brandon Woodruff matched him for Milwaukee, going 6.0 innings with 1 hit, 0 runs, and 10 strikeouts on just 79 pitches, also without a decision.
The game turned in the top of the 10th. Joey Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jake Bauers to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead — the go-ahead run. Garrett Mitchell then scored on a wild pitch by Tony Santillan to push the advantage to 2-0. Cincinnati answered in the bottom half when Blake Dunn scored on a groundout by Sal Stewart, but it was not enough. Joel Kuhnel retired Cincinnati in the 10th to earn his fifth save of the season. Trevor Megill picked up the win, improving to 2-2.
Santillan absorbed the loss, falling to 1-4 with a 5.23 ERA after allowing 2 runs — 1 earned — in 1.0 inning. Cincinnati managed only 2 hits on the night and could not manufacture a run through nine innings against Milwaukee's pitching.
Milwaukee improved to 46-29 and sits atop the division. Cincinnati fell to 37-39. Tony Santillan is 7 games away from 200 career appearances.