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 The centerpiece of the July trade that sent Johnny Cueto to Kansas
City, Finnegan (1-0) made his Reds debut a week ago throwing two
scoreless innings and followed that up by holding Milwaukee to a run
on three hits and two walks while striking out four over five
innings of work.
"We all want him to start at this point in time in his career," Reds
manager Brian Price said. "Because he had so much immediate success
for a team that went to the World Series, it would have been real
easy for us to pigeon-hole him as a set-up lefty or a situational
lefty or closer. That serves a need as well, but we felt it was
important we gave him this chance to start."
Finnegan put runners in scoring position in the second, fourth and
fifth innings but worked out of each of the jams with minimal
damage, something Price attributed to his history as a reliever in
his short major league career.
"His background makes him used to coming in with inherited runners
or pitching out of his own jams," Price said. "He didn't looked to
be flustered with guys on base.
"We had relief pitchers ready if he got into any trouble in the
fifth. He managed to work around that leadoff double and pitch
beautifully."
The Reds' offense, missing center fielder Billy Hamilton and first
baseman Joey Votto, scraped together just enough offense for the
22-year-old to earn his first victory with Cincinnati.
Third baseman Todd Fraizer provided an early boost, putting the Reds
up, 1-0, with a first-inning single. Right fielder Jay Bruce added a
solo home run in the fourth and back-to-back doubles by shortstop
Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Adam Duvall made it a 3-1 game.
All three runs came against Brewers' rookie Zach Davies (1-2), who
in his third major league start allowed five hits and four walks
while striking out four over six innings of work.
"I was just losing a bit of my command," said Davies, who came to
the Brewers in a deadline deal with the Baltimore Orioles. "There
were some moments in the game I felt like I had it and some moments
that I just fell apart. Just kind of got the best of me."
Left fielder Khris Davis got Milwaukee on the board with a solo home
run in the second, and the Brewers missed a golden opportunity in
the sixth, They made it a one-run game when right fielder Ryan Braun
scored on first baseman Jason Rogers' fielder's choice, but
pinch-hitter Adam Lind struck out with the bases-loaded to end the
inning.
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"We got runners on, (but) we just didn't get that next hit," manager
Craig Counsell said. "That was the story of the game."
Center fielder Jason Bourgeois restored the two-run lead with a solo
home run in the seventh and pinch-hitter Brennan Boesch added some
insurance with a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth.
Milwaukee got back within a run on Rogers' solo home run in the
bottom of the inning, but right-hander Aroldis Chapman closed the
door in the ninth, locking down his 31st save of the year.
NOTES: Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson will spend another night under
observation at a Milwaukee hospital after he was struck in the head
by a line drive Thursday night against St. Louis. Nelson suffered a
contusion and is expected to pitch again this season, manager Craig
Counsell said. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto sat out Friday night to serve
a one-game suspension for arguing with umpire Bill Welke on Sept. 9.
He was originally suspended two games but had that punishment
reduced Friday morning by MLB. ... CF Billy Hamilton was not with
the Reds on Friday; he returned to Cincinnati for an MRI on his
right shoulder. He had to leave Cincinnati's game Monday because of
soreness, didn't play Tuesday and appeared as a pinch-runner
Wednesday; a role manager Bryan Price said he'll use Hamilton in for
the near future. ... Both teams will send rookies to the mound in
each of the three games of the series, marking the first time since
1913 that it has happened in the majors.
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