Reds look to re-ignite offense in series opener vs. Brewers

The Cincinnati Reds still are looking for some consistency out of their offense heading into the opener of a four-game series at the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night.

The Reds followed a 14-run uprising in the series opener against Texas on Monday by losing 1-0 in back-to-back games to the Rangers.

“If I thought yelling at them would get us a bunch of hits, I’d go do it right now,” Reds first-year manager Terry Francona said.

Cincinnati racked up 14 hits — including three homers — in the 14-3 win against the visiting Rangers on Monday night. The Reds, however, combined for just seven hits in the past two games, including one for extra bases.

“It’s time to do our jobs,” Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario said.

Left-hander Nick Lodolo is scheduled to take the mound for Cincinnati in the series opener.

Lodolo (1-0, 3.00 ERA) had a solid season opener on Saturday, limiting the San Francisco Giants to two runs and five hits over six innings of a 3-2 win.

He said he was not happy with the command of his pitches, but felt more comfortable as the game went along.

“I started lining up better as I got my legs under me as the game kept going,” Lodolo said. “Even then, it’s not how you draw up the command that you think you’re going to put it where you want. I just battled.”

Lodolo has made four starts in his career against the Brewers and is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA.

He will be matched against fellow left-hander Nestor Cortes, who will look to rebound from a tough season opener on Saturday.

Cortes (0-1, 36.00 ERA) was rocked for five home runs in just two innings of a 20-9 loss against the New York Yankees, with whom he spent the past four seasons.

He gave up eight runs, six hits and five walks on Saturday.

“Obviously I spent a few years over there, and I was able to be on their side and not have to face them, but I think this comes with the territory of being a major league pitcher,” Cortes said. “You never know where you’re going to end up and, at some point, you’re going to face somebody you know, or somebody that’s close to you, and it just happened to be (Saturday).”

Cortes is 0-0 with a 1.21 ERA in his lone career encounter against Cincinnati.

The Brewers have bounced back after getting swept by the Yankees in the season-opening series last weekend and then losing the opener of a three-game set against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Monday.

Milwaukee won 5-0 on Tuesday and then received another exceptional pitching performance from starter Freddy Peralta and the bullpen on Wednesday in a 3-2 victory in 11 innings.

Jackson Chourio homered, doubled and singled in the win against the Royals on Wednesday. He has hit safely in five straight games.

Brice Turang had struck out three times and grounded out with runners on second and third and no outs in the seventh inning of a tie game on Wednesday. He came through with a suicide squeeze in the 11th to win it, however.

–Field Level Media