(SportsNetwork.com) – Jonathan Lucroy’s injury in Monday night’s opener with
the Cincinnati Reds seemed to sum up the start to the Milwaukee Brewers’
season, one that is the worst in franchise history.
The Brewers look to snap a six-game slide on Tuesday when they resume their
four-game set with the Reds.
Milwaukee’s 6-1 loss to Cincinnati last night dropped the club to just 2-11 on
the season. The Brewers’ lone run of the game didn’t come until Ryan Braun’s
solo homer in the ninth inning, which snapped a six-game homerless drought for
the club that was the longest for Milwaukee since 2002.
Wily Peralta surrendered six runs on eight hits and three walks with five
strikeouts over seven frames for Milwaukee.
“It’s hard to believe with the stuff he had today that he ends up with six
runs against him,” Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said.
Lucroy, meanwhile, will be placed on the 15-day disabled list after fracturing
a toe in the sixth inning. He sustained the injury on a foul tip off the bat
of Cincinnati’s Zack Cozart.
Lucroy missed most of spring training because of a hamstring injury and this
season is hitting just .156 in 12 games with two runs batted in. He hit .301
with 13 homers and 69 RBI in a career-high 153 games last season and was an
All-Star for the first time.
“I’ve been hit a million times on my feet,” said Lucroy after the game.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a catcher break their toe. It had to be
me. It’s par for the course right now.”
Milwaukee is expected to recall catcher Juan Centano from Triple-A Colorado
Springs to fill the roster spot, while Martin Maldonado will handle most of
the starting duties.
The Reds, meanwhile, took advantage of a struggling Brewers club to snap a
four-game slide and win for only the second time in nine games. Anthony
DeSclafani logged eight scoreless innings last night, scattering two hits and
a walk to get the win.
“He was on, he was locked in, great pitch quality,” Reds manager Bryan Price
said of DeSclafani.
Cozart smacked a three-run homer and Joey Votto cracked a two-run shot among
his two hits in the triumph.
Jason Marquis takes the mound tonight for the Reds looking to win for the
first time in three starts this season. He took a no-decision versus St. Louis
on April 10, then suffered a 5-0 setback to the hosting Chicago Cubs on
Wednesday.
The 36-year-old righty yielded five runs — four earned — on seven hits and
three walks over four innings. He also struck out six, but served up a two-run
homer in the first inning and also hit a batter with the bases loaded in the
second.
Marquis is 6-12 with a 5.85 earned run average in 24 games (21 games) versus
the Brewers, who counter with righty Mike Fiers.
Fiers has lost his first two outings of the season, though he didn’t get any
run support in a 4-0 loss at St. Louis on Thursday. He yielded a pair of runs,
on an RBI single and run-scoring double in the sixth inning, over 5 2/3
innings.
The 29-year-old is 1-3 lifetime versus the Reds with a 3.08 ERA in six games,
four starts.
The Reds were 10-9 versus the Brewers last season, but lost six of nine in
Milwaukee.
