Puig homers again; Reds lose Scooter but beat Brewers 3-0

CINCINNATI (AP) — Yasiel Puig homered for the second consecutive game and the Cincinnati Reds overcame the loss of second baseman Scooter Gennett to a groin injury, holding on for a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

Gennett left after two at-bats because of tightness in the left side of his groin. Gennett was an All-Star last year and the Reds’ most productive hitter over the last two seasons, but he suffered a severe injury to the other side of his groin during spring training and had been sidelined until last week. He has two singles in 19 at-bats over five games.

Sonny Gray (5-5) beat the Brewers for the second time in three starts this season, matching his career high with 12 strikeouts in eight innings. He allowed four hits to a starting lineup missing All-Stars Christian Yelich and Yasmani Grandal, who were getting rest.

Gray left after throwing 111 pitches. Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

Puig connected in the second inning off Jhoulys Chacin (3-9), who hasn’t won since April. The right-hander is 0-6 in his last nine games with a 5.93 ERA. He struck out a season-high eight and allowed seven hits.

Chacin grabbed his right side after running to cover first base in the fifth inning. Manager Craig Counsell and a trainer visited the mound, but the right-hander remained in the game. He left after giving up Puig’s single and Jose Iglesias‘ RBI single in the seventh.

Puig added a sacrifice fly in the eighth, his second straight game with starring moments. Puig scored the winning run with a dash to the plate on a throwing error in the 11th inning Tuesday night for a 5-4 victory. Puig has homered in eight of his last 17 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez threw in the bullpen. He’ll have another bullpen session over the weekend and could begin a rehab assignment next week. He’s been sidelined since June 1 with a sore arm.

Reds: Center fielder Nick Senzel was scheduled to get a day off, but he went into the game after Gennett left.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Brandon Woodruff (10-2) fanned a career-high 12 during a 7-5 win over the Reds at Miller Park on June 23, allowing three runs in seven innings.

Reds: Luis Castillo (7-3) has yet to beat the Brewers in three tries this season. He’s allowed 11 runs in 13 1/3 innings as the Reds lost 1-0, 11-9 and 6-5.