Christian Yelich cycles against the Reds once again, but Brewers still fall in crazy game

CINCINNATI - So much for getting well against a bad team.

Done in by more poor defense as well as very shaky pitching, the Milwaukee Brewers dropped their second consecutive series on this three-city road trip on Wednesday afternoon after being beaten by the Cincinnati Reds, 14-11, at Great American Ball Park.

Christian Yelich hit for the cycle, Hunter Renfroe hit a pair of home runs and Jace Peterson and Mike Broasseau also went deep in a game that got crazy in the ninth inning.

But it still wasn't enough as Cincinnati scored double-digit runs against Milwaukee for the second time in the three-game set to completely turn the tables on last week's series at American Family Field.

All told, the Reds pounded Brewers pitching for 28 runs – only six shy of what Milwaukee put on the board against them the last time they met.

The 14 runs allowed by the Brewers were easily a new season high while the 14 hits tied a season high.

Things got crazy in the ninth when Peterson homered and Brosseau followed two batters later with a two-run, pinch-hit shot that hit off the top of the wall, bounced back onto the field and was ultimately ruled a homer after a review.

Then Yelich, needing a triple for the cycle, lined a shot down the right-field line and motored his way to third. It was the third career cycle for him – all against the Reds – and his second at Great American Ball Park.

BOX SCORE: Reds 14, Brewers 11

Rowdy Tellez, Luis Urías and Omar Narváez all followed with run-scoring hits to actually turn it into a save situation for the Reds.

But Lorenzo Cain and Peterson grounded out as the miraculous rally came up short.

The tone for this game was cast in what could only be described as a terrible first inning.

The Brewers collected a pair of doubles in the top half only to fail to score a run after Kolten Wong erased his leadoff two-bagger by getting thrown out trying to steal third base with one out.

Bad defense then burned Adrian Houser in the bottom half.

With a runner on first, Urías – who Tuesday night helped save the game with a terrific diving catch at shortstop – whiffed on a sharp ground ball right at him at third base to quickly give Cincinnati runners at the corners with one out.

After a Mike Moustakas flyout, Tyler Stephenson singled in a run and Houser followed by walking Colin Moran to load the bases.

That brought up Tyler Naquin, who sent a long fly ball to right-center. Both Hunter Renfroe and Lorenzo Cain converged on the ball near the wall but neither could make the catch, with Renfroe mistiming a try at making a leaping grab.

Naquin was left with a bases-clearing triple and Houser a very early 4-0 hole that shouldn't have been nearly that deep.

More: Mark down two saves for the Brewers on Tuesday night: Luis Urías and Josh Hader

More: Damage against Reds bullpen proves to be the difference as Brewers hold on, snap three-game skid

Houser's day quickly became worse in the second, but this time the damage was all his doing.

After leadoff man T.J. Friedl bunted for a one-out hit, Houser walked the next two batters. He again retired Moustakas to get to within an out of escaping only to surrender another bases-clearing hit – this one a double to left by Stephenson.

That made it 7-0 before a two-out, three-run homer to left field by Yelich gave Milwaukee a little bit of life.

A solo homer to right by Renfroe in the fourth drew the Brewers even closer and Houser (3-3) handed the ball over to the bullpen on the heels of consecutive scoreless innings.

The right-hander allowed six hits, seven runs (four earned) and four walks while striking out three over his 90-pitch day.

The Brewers had an opportunity to further cut into the deficit after loading the bases in the fifth – Yelich's single in the fifth left him a triple shy of the cycle – but Urías struck out on three pitches against Alexis Díaz.

Cincinnati tacked on another run in the bottom of the inning after Colin Moran doubled off Hoby Milner, moved up to third on a bunt by Naquin and scored on a sacrifice fly.

Renfroe added his second solo shot with two outs in the eighth, giving him his second multi-homer game of the season and the 16th of his career.

The Reds gave themselves enough scoring room by scoring six times in the eighth off the just-recalled J.C. Mejía and Luis Perdomo.

Milwaukee has an off-day Thursday before concluding its trip with three games at Miami over the weekend.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Christian Yelich hits for cycle against the Reds, but Brewers fall