Yelich hits for cycle, Brewers beat Reds in 10 innings
CINCINNATI (AP) — Christian Yelich sat on a chair in front of his locker, trying to take in all that had just happened.
“I’m so tired,” he said.
No wonder. For more than four hours, Yelich led an improbable comeback with an historic effort.
Yelich became the eighth Brewers player to hit for the cycle on Wednesday night and tied the club record with six hits. Jesus Aguilar took it from there, hitting a homer in the 10th inning for a 13-12 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Then, it was time for everyone to catch their breath.
“I’ve never seen a game like that,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Yelich’s 6-for-6 performance. “It was incredible. He’s coming up and you’re thinking he can’t do it again, and he does it again. He did everything tonight, he really did. He’s driving the bus home tonight.”
Milwaukee desperately needed all of it.
Aguilar connected off Raisel Iglesias (2-3) for Milwaukee’s fourth homer of the game, halting the Brewers’ month-long slide. Milwaukee has dropped 11 of 20 and slipped into third place in the NL Central, five games behind the Cubs.
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“Look, the next month there’s going to be crazy nights and there’s going to be more nights like this,” Counsell said. “It might be a different kind of crazy. We’re ready to take the ride.”
Yelich became the first Brewer s player to hit for the cycle since George Kottaras on Sept. 3, 2011, at Houston.
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He also matched the club record with six of the Brewers’ 22 hits, including a two-run homer .
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“It’s one of those things you never really expect to do,” Yelich said. “Obviously you’ve got to have some luck involved in it, that’s always a factor when you do something like that.”
Mike Moustakas’ solo shot put Milwaukee ahead 11-10 in the eighth, but Joakim Soria’s wild pitch allowed Billy Hamilton to score the tying run in the bottom of the inning. Jeremy Jeffress (7-1) gave up Brandon Dixon’s homer in the 10th.
The Brewers extended their Great American Ball Park record to 21 straight games with at least one homer. Cincinnati connected five times, including a disputed three-run shot by reliever Michael Lorenzen that made it 10-6 in the sixth inning.
“It was a slugfest, for sure — back and forth, long rain delay,” said Cincinnati’s Tucker Barnhart, who had a solo shot. “That one had a little bit of everything.”
Taylor Williams threw an up-and-in pitch to Lorenzen, who was trying to bunt with two runners aboard and two strikes. The ball deflected off Lorenzen’s bat as he pulled away, and plate umpire Tony Randazzo ruled — over the objection of Counsell — that Lorenzen was trying to avoid the pitch rather than bunt it.
Given an extra chance, Lorenzen connected on the next pitch for his fourth homer of the season, flipping his bat as he rounded the bases.
YELICH’S NIGHT
Yelich is one of only four players since 1908 to have six hits and hit for the cycle in the same game. He joins Bobby Veach, Rondell White and Ian Kinsler.
ELITE COMPANY
Eugenio Suarez hit his 30th homer , becoming the fourth player in Reds history to hit that many while playing primarily third base. He joins Tony Perez, Todd Frazier and Deron Johnson.
BAD START
The first pitch was delayed 27 minutes because of rain.
STATS
Hamilton hit his fourth career leadoff homer and matched his career high with four hits. He left after his hard slide into home to score the tying run in the eighth. … The nine combined homers were one shy of the GABP record. … Milwaukee’s Lorenzo Cain extended his hitting streak to 11 games, matching his career high.
REDS MOVES
The Reds put LHP Amir Garrett on the 10-day DL with a bruised left foot. They reinstated RHP Jackson Stephens from the DL. He’s been sidelined since July 24 with torn cartilage in his right knee.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: C Manny Pina was grazed on the left side of the face by David Hernandez’s pitch in the seventh and spit out blood before leaving for a pinch-runner. He got five stitches in his lip.
Reds: Joey Votto worked out again pregame but won’t be activated off the DL until Thursday at the earliest. He was hit on the right knee by a pitch on Aug. 4 and went on the DL on Aug. 17.
UP NEXT
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley beat the Reds 3-1 on May 2 in his Brewers debut in Cincinnati. He’s 4-0 in four career starts at Great American Ball Park with a 2.51 ERA.
Reds: LHP Cody Reed makes his second start of the season. He lasted three innings on April 9 against the Phillies, and has made his last 10 appearances out of the bullpen.