CINCINNATI (AP) — Freddy Peralta combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Christian Yelich homered on the game's first pitch and Milwaukee shut out the Cincinnati Reds for the third straight game, a 3-0 win Saturday night that gave the Brewers sole possession of the NL Central lead.
Playing six straight games against the Reds, Milwaukee (51-42) has won four of the first five. The Brewers tied the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto for the major league shutouts lead with 10.
Jake Fraley had the Reds' only hit, a broken-bat infield single with one out in the fourth. Cincinnati (50-43) has managed just seven hits in its last three games, none for extra bases.
Peralta (6-7) won for the first time since May 21 after going 0-4 in his previous eight starts. He struck out six and walked two in six innings, allowing just two runners to reach second.
Evan Peguero, Joel Payamps and Devin Williams followed with an inning each, with Williams getting his 22nd save in 24 chances.
Milwaukee has pitched three straight shutouts for the third time after April 19-21, 1990, and July 19-21, 2013.
William Contreras homered in the fourth and Owen Miller in the seventh. Andrew Abbott (4-2) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings, and Miller homered off Buck Farmer.
After a rain delay of 1 hour, 16 minutes, Yelich hit an opposite-field drive to left on a fastball over the plate, his 12th homer this season and 21st of his career against the Reds.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: LHP Justin Wilson (Tommy John surgery) is with Triple-A Nashville and on rack to join Milwaukee at the end of July. “He needs to bounce back from fatigue and pitch with fatigue. He’s getting closer,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. … RHP Jake Cousins (right shoulder inflammation) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list and optioned to Nashville.
UP NEXT
Milwaukee RHP Adrian Houser (3-2) is scheduled to start Sunday against Cincinnati RHP Ben Lively (4-5).
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