CINCINNATI (AP) — DL Hall worked seven scoreless innings in the best start of his career, Willy Adames and Rhys Hoskins each homered and drove in three runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers scored 10 runs in the ninth inning to pound the Cincinnati Reds 14-0 on Friday night and sweep a doubleheader.
Adames and William Contreras each went deep in both games for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who won the opener 5-4 when automatic runner Eric Haase scored on a double play in the 10th inning and Devin Williams made it stand up.
Making his sixth start of the season and seventh of his career, Hall (1-1) worked past the sixth inning for the first time in his first scoreless start. The 25-year-old left-hander, acquired in the offseason trade that sent ace Corbin Burnes to Baltimore, made his second major league appearance since returning from a left knee sprain that sidelined him in April.
“It is definitely a good feeling just to pitch deep into the game,” Hall said. “I finally feel like myself again. It has been a continuous thing for the past six or seven weeks just keeping my head down and not stopping until I figured it out. … I want to help the Brewers win. I want to help any way I can. Part of that today was covering some innings.”
Hall was in command throughout, allowing four hits and one walk and throwing just 83 pitches. He struck out nine Reds batters in 4 2/3 innings in his previous start on Aug. 11. He was optioned to Triple-A Nashville after that outing and recalled Friday, and he came through after the Brewers used five relief pitchers in the opener.
“He was great,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I respect the heck out of the Reds. I don’t care what their record is. It is a war. This one got out of hand, score-wise, but it was a 1-0 game. DL was magnificent.”
Garrett Mitchell homered for Milwaukee in the sixth inning to make it 2-0 and Hoskins hit a two-run shot in the seventh, his 22nd. Then the game got out of hand in the ninth.
Hoskins hit an RBI single against Yosver Zulueta and Adames followed with a three-run homer, his 26th, at which point Bell brought in catcher Luke Maile to pitch. Throwing fastballs in the mid-60s, Maile gave up five straight hits before he retired Blake Perkins on a sacrifice fly. Contreras followed with a two-run homer, his 20th, before Maile finally ended the inning, getting Hoskins to fly out.
“There is really no choice. We’ll get over it,” Reds manager David Bell said.
Right-hander Rhett Lowder (0-1), the seventh overall pick in last year’s draft, made his major league debut for the Reds. He walked the first two batters he faced but got out of that jam and worked four innings, allowing one run on two hits and four walks. He struck out six.
“It was awesome, a dream come true,” Lowder said. “I wasn’t too worried about that first inning. It didn’t speed me up or anything. I thought I was making good pitches.”
Bell thought Lowder showed poise in his debut.
“Rhett Lowder tonight did what he was prepared to do. He was a little excited, that’s a good thing. Then he settled in exactly the way you would want him to,” the manager said.
The Brewers stole four bases, two by Brice Turang.
In the opener, pinch-hitter Turang had a bunt single that moved Haase to third against Alexis Diaz (1-5), who then induced the go-ahead double-play grounder from Sal Frelick. The Reds closer had blown saves in each of his previous two appearances.
Williams retired the side in the bottom of the 10th for his seventh save in eight chances. Trevor Megill (1-3) pitched a scoreless ninth.
“I was always going to use Devin if we took the lead,” Murphy said. “He’s the one guy who can get a punch (strikeout) and maybe not give up a run. That’s why I chose Turang to bunt for a hit. He was safe but even if he wasn’t, we’re going to get one run maybe. That’s not the way you do it on the road. Usually, you play for two. … It doesn’t always work.”
Santiago Espinal and Jonathan India homered for the Reds, who fell to 3-4 in extra innings. The Brewers improved to 6-5.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley began throwing. He is seeing Dr. Timothy Kremchek in Cincinnati to asses his progress.
Reds: RHP Hunter Greene has reduced pain from the contusion on his right elbow and began throwing.
UP NEXT
Frankie Montas (6-9, 4.64 ERA), acquired from the Reds in a trade-deadline deal, starts for the Brewers on Saturday night. Cincinnati had not announced a starter.
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