Gray's K's, Puig's RBIs carry Reds past Brewers

Sonny Gray tied a career high with 12 strikeouts over eight innings and Yasiel Puig homered and drove in two runs as the host Cincinnati Reds recorded a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. Puig hit a home run in the second inning, scored on Jose Iglesias' RBI single in the seventh inning, and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth for the Reds, who have won back-to-back games after losing six of their previous eight.

Gray (5-5) struck out Tyler Saladino to lead off the eighth inning for his 12th strikeout, matching his total set against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 23, 2014, while he was with Oakland. The 29-year-old scattered four hits and issued just one walk during his 111-pitch performance. Jhoulys Chacin (3-9) allowed two runs with eight strikeouts in six-plus innings for the Brewers, who gave a rare night off to Christian Yelich. Yasmani Grandal was also held out of the starting lineup before pinch-hitting with two outs in the eighth inning and walking on four pitches.

Cincinnati manager David Bell walked to the mound to talk with Gray, who remained in the game and induced Lorenzo Cain to fly out to the shallow right field to end the inning. After Puig's sacrifice fly plated Joey Votto in the bottom of the eighth, Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his 15th save of the season.

Puig, who scoring the winning run in Tuesday's 5-4 victory, opening the scoring to lead off the second inning. The 28-year-old Cuban deposited a 1-1 fastball from Chacin over the wall in the left-centre field for his 19th homer of the season and second in as many games. Puig snapped Chacin's string of retiring 13 consecutive batters with a single up the middle to lead off the seventh inning. Derek Dietrich and Jose Iglesias followed with singles, the latter of which brought Puig home to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead.

Scooter Gennett exited the game after the fourth inning with left groin tightness. Gennett, who previously had been sidelined with a right groin strain, made a sliding stop to his left on a grounder in the second inning before throwing wildly to first base. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)