Skid over, Brewers try to even series with Reds

The Milwaukee Brewers remain the only club to figure out Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo.

The Brew Crew snapped their five-game losing skid on Saturday afternoon by rallying from a first-inning, three-run deficit and beating Cincinnati 6-5, which also ended the Reds' season-best six-game winning streak.

And Milwaukee accomplished the feat against Castillo, who has had every team's number this season except Cincinnati's National League Central rival from Wisconsin.

Down 3-0, the Brewers produced two of their five hits on the day in the first inning, scoring four times -- thanks in part to Castillo's wildness and untimely errors by shortstop Jose Iglesias.

After leadoff hitter Yasmani Grandal homered, Milwaukee loaded the bases with a pair of walks sandwiched around Mike Moustakas' double.

Iglesias then misplayed a one-out grounder, and made his second error on the play when he threw wildly to first base. After the play ended, the Brewers had tied the game 3-3.

Travis Shaw's RBI groundout put the Brewers out front, reviving the home team.

Milwaukee's bullpen later turned in 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief, retiring 13 straight to end the game, as the club pulled to within a half-game of the first-place Chicago Cubs.

Manager Craig Counsell lauded his relief corps -- "The bullpen delivered," he said -- but added that patience at the plate in the first inning was key to the comeback victory.

"The guy's a tough customer," Counsell said of Castillo, who walked five, fell to 7-2 and has two losses and one no-decision in three starts against the Brewers this season. "You've to be good with balls and strikes against him. That's the key.

"You're not going to rack up a lot of hits, but you can get on base by the walk."

The series concludes at Miller Park on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 ET.

Brandon Woodruff (8-2, 4.02) will make his first start this season against Cincinnati and is 1-1 with an 8.10 ERA in three appearances (one start) against the Reds in his career.

Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich set a major league record on Saturday when he became the first player to be hit by a pitch six times in a series.

The lefty-swinging Dietrich, who has a career-high 18 home runs, was hit twice Thursday, three times Friday and again Saturday.

After Junior Guerra plunked him in the seventh inning on Friday, Dietrich started toward first for a third time as a hit batsman and had a few words for the pitcher, and both benches were warned.

"It's part of the game," said Dietrich, who has been hit a league-high 15 times and 108 times in his career. "I've never really shied away from it. Guys try to get out of the way. I don't try to get out of the way.

"I hold my ground. I stay in the box."

The Reds will close the series by sending out Anthony DeSclafani (4-3, 4.22) for his 15th start of the season.

The right-hander has made one start against Milwaukee this season, working five innings on April 2 in his first outing of 2019. He allowed one run and three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in a no-decision in a game the Brewers won 4-3.

DeSclafani, 29, has faced Milwaukee nine times -- eight of them starts -- during his career and compiled a 3-3 mark with a 4.59 ERA.

--Field Level Media