Cincinnati – Milwaukee winemakers set a single-season franchise record for their 14th consecutive win on Saturday night. And, in keeping with the recent form, it is not easy.
Major League Baseball’s leading brewers rally in the second straight game and beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 11 innings. So far, Milwaukee has set a benchmark for successive wins, surpassing the 1987 team that opened by winning the first 13 games.
The winemakers will hope to add their winning streak to Sunday's finale against Cincinnati. The Reds lost 13 against the winemakers.
Milwaukee's overall record of consecutive victories was 16 games from 1986 to 1987, when they won their last three games in 1986 and their first 13 games in 1987.
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On Friday night, the winemakers' run seemed in danger, then they rose from two innings of seven runs, through nine unanswered times beating the Red 10-8.
Milwaukee seemed to be in trouble again Saturday, but it showed resilience has become a defining feature of brewers. They have won eight comebacks in their current winning streak. Of the 24 teams that have won 14 straight games over the past 80 seasons, Milwaukee is the third to win at least eight comebacks in that range.
This time the key swing came from Andruw Monasterio, who smashed a three-inning home run in No. 11.
“It's a really amazing feeling. I'm not ready to be 14 to 14. … It's amazing.”
Monasterio seems to be ready for his moment of display and extension.
“[Manager] Pat Murphy asked me to prepare three or four times,” the 28-year-old infielder said. “That was the fifth time he asked me to be ready in the game. On the seventh time he asked me, “Are you ready for an important moment?” I said, “Of course, yes.” But I didn't know that would happen. ”
Milwaukee starter Quinn Priester said his Under-11 team was called fun with a 49-0 run.
“But not like this fun,” he said.
Priest said winemakers have been making the most of their opportunities.
“We're just giving ourselves all the chances, and then of course, we seem to take advantage of each time when we get the extra chances,” he said. “You have the chance, it's time to go into a big swing and make a lot of effort. When the guys get the chance, we don't be timid, that's for sure.”
When Brice Turang doubled in the second inning, the Brewers jumped to the early lead. The Reds finished sixth from Ke'Bryan Hayes and Spencer Steer to lead 2-1.
The Reds proved to have helped Milwaukee maintain a winning streak as the winemaker scored on a throw error by Cincinnati shortstop Elly de la Cruz, equalizing the score by 2 shots. And, when Anthony Seigler scored on the mistake of left fielder Jake Fraley, the winemaker moved on in tenth place.
Cincinnati fought at the bottom of the 10th inning and tied it to 3-All, made by Hayes’ RBI doubles.
But the Reds offered too many opportunities for brewers to continue winning as Monastero scored three shots in Game 11, his second season in his first season against the New York Mets on July 3.
The Reds pushed back again in the second half, approaching the sacrifice flies of Santiago Espinal, cutting their deficit to Noelvi Marte's ninth home run.
But Milwaukee took the upper hand when Relief Nick Mears let Matt McLain take the warning track in the right center, end the race and extend the winning streak.
Milwaukee made up 34 games in the 0.500 game 78-44, leading nine games in the Chicago Cubs’ central NL. In the National League, the winemakers are eight better than the East-South leading Philadelphia Phillies (70-53).
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to the report.