The playoffs started tonight for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers. It was a fine start thanks to home runs by Eugenio Suarez, Curt Casali and Mike Moustakas in the Reds 6-3 series opening triumph.
The teams started the game tied for the eighth and final seed in the National League playoffs. The Reds had five games left, including the Brewers seven, including five with the second place St. Louis Cardinals. The Mets, Phillies and Giants are also in contention. The Phillies hold a half game lead for seventh place over the Reds and Brewers.
The win not only put them a game in front of Milwaukee. It insured the Reds of a tie in the season series which is the first tie breaker for playoff contention.
Jed Gyorko reached Reds' starter Luis Castillo for his ninth home run in the fifth inning to start the scoring. It ended a streak of nine straight batters retired by Castillo.
The Reds threatened to score against Milwaukee starter, Brandon Woodruff in the second and fourth innings. Eugenio Suarez walked to start the second inning. Mike Moustakas doubled down the right field line. Suarez was held at third. Jesse Winker's line drive bid for two RBI ended in the glove of Daniel Vogelbach. Brian Goodwin struck out and Freddie Galvis grounded out to first base.
Suarez singled one out into the fourth inning. Moustakas walked but Winker hit into a double play.
Nick Castellanos doubled in the sixth with one out. He took third on a wild pitch with Joey Votto at bat. The Brewers played the infield in. Votto's hot ground ball was gloved by Keston Hiura, who held Castellanos at third. Suarez started out 0-2 but hit his 14th home run of the season on a 1- 2 pitch.
"Woodruff has a good slider but I was ready for his fastball," Suarez.
Castillo pitched into the seventh but put himself in a jam with one out. He walked Gyorko. Jace Peterson, a .167 hitteOr, doubled over Shogo Akiyama's glove in left. Gyorko stopped at third. Castillo struck out Orlando Arcia for his ninth of the game. David Bell brought Amir Garrett into the game to face catcher Omar Narvaez. Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell sent Tyrone Taylor to pinch hit. Taylor grounded out to Suarez at third.
Castillo pitched 6 2/3 innings and left with a lead.
"Getting a lead there was really important," Bell said. "Luis loves to pitch in big games like that."
Garrett walked Christian Yelich after he fanned Avisal Garcia in the eighth. Bell brought in Raisel Iglesias who got out of the inning on a double play ground out with his third pitch to Ryan Braun.
Curt Casali greeted Drew Rasmussen with his sixth home run leading off the bottom of the inning to give Cincinnati a two-run cushion. The Reds went after more insurance. Akiyama singled and Votto walked with one out. Moustakas doubled the scoring against his former teammates with his sixth home run of the season.
"I thought I got Woodruff in my last at bat in the fifth. These games have been fun and stressful," Casali said. "This is the first time I've been over .500 as a Red.
The runs came in handy when Peterson hit a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth. It was his second of the season.
The Reds broke the .500 barrier for the first time since the first game of the seasons season opening win against Detroit. The Reds got to .500 at 5-5 but have played under water since August 3rd. The Brewers missed their seventh chance to break the .500 mark. They were 26-26 coming into the game tonight.
"The past is in the past," Suarez said. "We have good vibes only. All the rest of the games are like playoff games."
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