Reds 6, Brewers 5: Blake Perkins rues ill-fated bunt attempt (2024)

Up to bat with the game on the line, Blake Perkins ultimately wasn't up to the moment.

With the tying run 90 feet away at third base and the winning run at second in the ninth inning on Friday night, he tried something that took everyone – including manager Pat Murphy -- by surprise.

Perkins attempted to drop down a bunt on the first pitch he saw from Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Díaz, but popped it up instead. Díaz gloved the ball easily in front of the mound and with that, abruptly ended what had been shaping up to be a big-time comeback in a 6-5 loss for the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.

"Listen, no one is more disappointed in the outcome of the events than me," said a disconsolate Perkins, one of the team's best bunters, at his locker afterward. "I guess the best way to put it is, I know the guys behind me are statistically better hitters. And I thought it would be a surprise to (the Reds) and I thought it would be a higher percentage (play) for me, and just me in general.

"We’ve got someone who’s fast at third with a big lead. I just was trying not to be the hero, I guess is the best way to put it, and obviously it was a mistake."

BOX SCORE: Reds 6, Brewers 5

The game had been mostly frustration for the Brewers offense, which had scored only three runs despite drawing seven walks to that point and the Reds committing an incredible five errors, including three by shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

His third came on a play what should have been a double-play grounder off the bat of Rhys Hoskins after Christian Yelich and Willy Adames opened the Milwaukee ninth with singles. But the ball skipped off the heel of De La Cruz's glove and all runners were safe, potentially setting up a huge rally.

Hoskins was quickly replaced at first by pinch-runner Jake Bauers. And after Sal Frelick lined out, Joey Ortiz drew a walk from Díaz to force in Yelich and make it a 6-4 game.

Jackson Chourio, up next, singled to right. Adames scored easily to make it 6-5 and third-base coach Jason Lane waved Bauers around third as well. Will Benson's throw home to Tyler Stephenson made for a bang-bang play at the plate, and Bauers was ruled safe by Will Little after a head-first slide.

Cincinnati challenged, and the call was overturned.

"Tying run on second base, base hit to right field, I feel like that's a pretty good time to try and push it," Bauers said. "Obviously, it's got to be a perfect throw and a good tag, and they made the play."

But the Brewers still had life with Ortiz at third, Chourio at second and Perkins stepping to the plate.

The author of a walk-off hit last August 5, Perkins could have done any number of things in that situation that could have tied, won or at the very least turned the lineup over with leadoff man Brice Turang on deck.

Instead, Perkins squared around on a 93.9-mph fastball that was up and in and sent a soft popup to the left of the mound that Díaz caught for the final out.

"I was thinking about it before (the review)," Perkins said. "I was just like, ‘We get the tying run in and we’ve got Turang up and if they want to walk Turang they’ve got to face William (Contreras) and then Yeli.’ That’s kind of how I was thinking.

"Probably thinking a little bit too much, and not trusting in myself enough and believing in myself."

Cameras caught Murphy in the dugout immediately after the play with a perplexed look on his face. In his postgame remarks, he chalked the play up to inexperience.

"I think it's a young person's moment," Murphy said of Perkins, who was playing in the 126th game of his major-league career. "Obviously, he regrets the decision but we've had so many young players step up this year, Perk included.

"So many great things he's done. Over and over, he's won games for us. Offensively, defensively and with the bunt or whatever."

Predictably, Perkins and Murphy had a chat about the bunt after the game.

"I think I kind of let the moment get a little bit too big for me," Perkins said. "He was just telling me in that situation I don’t need to think about too much. Just go up there and play the game. Like I said, no one’s going to feel worse about not performing the way that you want to than I will and I know the guys around me and the coaching staff have my back. They know my intentions are sound. It just didn’t work out.

"I feel really dumb, but tomorrow’s a new day and I hope to contribute tomorrow in a better way."

Said Murphy: "He'll feel some guilt, but you have to bounce back and I think he will. He has all year. He responds. He didn't lose the game; that decision might not have been the one anybody else might have picked right there. We had plenty of other opportunities to score runs tonight, but didn't."

The Brewers were forced to play catchup all night behind starter Freddy Peralta (4-4), who lasted 5 ⅓ innings opposite Hunter Greene and struggled once again.

He allowed a career-high 10 hits (including a season-high-tying two homers) and a season-high six runs over his 96 pitches, a far cry from the previous mastery over the Reds he'd demonstrated (three runs or fewer allowed in 12 of his previous 13 starts against them).

To be fair, the Reds have been playing as well as any team in the majors -- 9-2 in their last 11 games, 14 of 19 and five straight on the road -- and are looking much more like the contender that many had predicted they'd be coming into the season.

A TJ Friedl homer in the third was countered by a Contreras homer in the bottom of the frame. Cincinnati took the lead for good on a Jonathan India single in the fourth, then stretched its lead to 5-1 when it hit for the team cycle against Peralta in the fifth.

De La Cruz's first two errors got a run back for Milwaukee in the bottom of the fifth, then two errors on the same play by Jeimer Candelario in the bottom of the sixth made it 6-3.

Peralta was coming off a season-low 3 ⅓-inning start his previous time out at Detroit last Saturday, and with a 4.38 ERA through 14 starts is trending in the wrong direction on a staff that desperately needs its most decorated pitcher to step up.

"Very good in general," was how Peralta described his outing. "Way better than the last outing in Detroit."

So, then why didn't the results match how he felt against Cincinnati?

"Crazy," Peralta said. "This game is about results, and that’s what I'm not having right now. I just have to keep forcing, keep going, keep working. The most important thing for me is that I’m healthy. You have to move forward to the next one."

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Brewers time, TV, radio

The Brewers gamestarts at the 7:10 p.m. Friday.

TV: Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620 and a state network.

Brewers lineup

• Brice Turang 2B

• William Contreras C

• Christian Yelich DH

• Willy Adames SS

• Rhys Hoskins 1B

• Sal Frelick RF

• Joey Ortiz 3B

• Jackson Chourio LF

• Blake Perkins CF

Reds lineup

• TJ Friedl CF

• Elly De La Cruz SS

• Jeimer Candelario 3B

• Spencer Steer 1B

• Jake Fraley DH

• Tyler Stephenson C

• Jacob Hurtubise LF

• Jonathan India 2B

• Will Benson RF

Brewers schedule

Brewers vs. Reds, 3:10 p.m. Saturday:Milwaukee RHP Bryse Wilson (3-3, 4.19) vs. Cincinnati LHP Andrew Abbott (5-5, 3.28). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

Brewers vs. Reds, 1:10 p.m. Sunday:Milwaukee RHP Colin Rea (5-2, 3.31) vs. Cincinnati RHP Hunter Greene (3-5, 4.55). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Reds 6, Brewers 5: Blake Perkins rues ill-fated bunt attempt