This weekend, for the first time since 2021, the Cincinnati Reds entered a series that had real stakes. The Reds knew that they had a chance to climb into first place in the NL Central during the four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, and they embraced that opportunity.
In Game 1, the Reds couldn’t hit. Then in Game 2, the Reds got one of their worst starts of the season.
At Great American Ball Park on Saturday, in front of a crowd of 25,485, the Brewers beat the Reds, 10-8. Starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft allowed 10 runs in four innings, and his disappointing May turned into a terrible start of June.