Houser struggles as Brewers fall in Game 1

MILWAUKEE -- Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker combined to rough up Brewers starter Adrian Houser in Milwaukee’s 6-1 loss to the Reds in the first game of Thursday’s seven-inning doubleheader, the first twin bill in Miller Park history.

Omar Narváez hit a sixth-inning solo homer for the Brewers, but Houser remained winless in his past four starts after allowing four runs on nine hits in four-plus innings, with the Reds’ Nos. 2-3 hitters doing most of the damage. Castellanos and Winker didn’t make an unproductive out in eight plate appearances in the game, including going 5-for-5 against Houser with a home run apiece. When Alex Claudio took over for Houser in the fifth, with Castellanos at second base after a hustle double, Winker greeted the left-hander with another home run that extended Cincinnati’s lead to 5-0.

• Box score

"I didn’t think Adrian was sharp today," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "For whatever reason, he wasn’t as crisp as we’ve seen in his first four or five starts, and they made him pay for it. It probably ends up being mistakes, but the stuff didn’t look as crisp as we’ve seen in previous starts."

When Castellanos added a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Winker walked, the duo’s day added up to 6-for-6 with a double, three home runs, four runs scored and five RBIs.

Brewers hitters had no such luck against Reds starter Sonny Gray, who extended his Major League-record streak to 40 consecutive games allowing six or fewer hits. The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings and held the Brewers to four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

The doubleheader came after players from both teams decided not to play Wednesday night in an effort to spotlight social justice.