Nothing separated the teams for five innings at Great American Ball Park. Then Jake Bauers tripled to right in the sixth, Andrew Vaughn scored, and Milwaukee had all it needed. Brandon Sproat made sure of that.
Sproat was the story. The right-hander allowed just one hit over six innings, walked nobody, and struck out 10 on 80 pitches. He did not allow a run. With a 5.43 ERA entering the night, it was the kind of start that changes a pitcher's month. He picked up his second win of the season against four losses. Vaughn added an insurance run in the eighth, his sacrifice fly to center scoring Brice Turang, who had gone 2-for-4 on the night. Trevor Megill closed it out with a scoreless ninth for his 10th save.
Bauers' triple in the sixth was the game's only go-ahead play. Vaughn, who scored on that same play, finished 0-for-1 with two walks and the eighth-inning RBI. The Brewers managed five hits total, but they were enough against a Cincinnati staff that kept the game close without ever threatening to win it.
Nick Lodolo gave Cincinnati four innings, allowing two hits and no runs while striking out six on 75 pitches. He left with no decision. A Cincinnati reliever who took the loss — his first of the season — allowed 1 run over 1.2 innings, walking two and striking out three. The Reds finished with two hits on the night and never seriously threatened Sproat or the Milwaukee bullpen.
Milwaukee extended its winning streak to two and improved to 47-29, holding first place in the division. Cincinnati fell to 37-40. Nick Lodolo, meanwhile, is six strikeouts away from 500 in his career.