Andrew McCutchen Clutch Against Reds

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Long time division menace, Andrew McCutcheon drove in three runs to provide just enough offense to back Eric Lauer in the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 win over the Reds.

The Brewers are still alive in the wild card race in the National Leauge and needed the win much more than the Reds, who are fullfilling their obligation to play out the schedule in a disappointing season.

Equally as disappointing for the Reds was the fact that the first three batters of the game reached base with Kyle Farmer's two-run double delivering Jonathan India and Spencer Steer before Brewer starter Eric Lauer could record an out.

Lauer was re-intated before the game after sitting out two weeks with tightness in his left elbow.  Lauer left in the third inning and the Brewers bullpen closed down the Reds with winning pitcher, Luis Perdomo, Brad Boxberger, Matt Bush and Devin Williams combining to limit the Reds to an unearned run after the first.

"It seemed to be our shot right there in the first inning," Reds manager David Bell said. "We got his pitch count way up but it was our opportunity to get a bigger lead.  After that their starter did a nice job of settling down. We couldn't get much going after that."

Luis Cessa, who worked in relief most of the season, convetted to a starter and had a decent, if not overpowering outing.

The Brewers plated two runs in the on a walk, a single an Victor Caratini's double.  One run scored on the double and the other on a bad throw from Aristides Aquino from right field.

McCutchen hit into a force play that put the Brewers in the lead in the fifth to make Cessa the loser and added the extra margin on a two-run seventh inning double against Buck Farmer.

The Reds scored a unearned run in the eighth but Williams completed the game to earn his 14th save.