Perkins proves Crew's depth knows no limit with big slam

CINCINNATI -- The Brewers allowed 11 hits, 10 walks and a franchise-record nine stolen bases.

And they won.

Blake Perkins singled for his first big league RBI and hit a grand slam for his first home run in back-to-back innings of the Brewers’ 10-8 defeat of the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, a victory that was much closer than manager Craig Counsell would have liked after his team jumped out to a 9-1 lead. But it was a victory nonetheless.

“We had the game in control, and then way too many walks,” Counsell said. “Just way too many walks.”

And too many stolen bases. Before Saturday, the Brewers had never allowed more than seven steals in a game. The Reds had that many before they made their first out of the sixth inning.

“They did a good job and we had a couple of pitchers that struggled with it today,” Counsell said. “The pitcher requires a certain time to give the catcher a chance. Then we can decide where we’re at. But the times we were posting, that’s not going to work.”

When another question about steals followed, Counsell interrupted to ask, “Hold on a second. Did we win?”

And, yes, they did win, after becoming the latest team to beat strong-armed Reds right-hander Graham Ashcraft. He’s allowed 38 earned runs and 46 hits over his last six starts after being tagged for 10 runs on nine hits and four walks over four innings by a Brewers offense that reflected the team’s reliance on its depth at the moment. After adding first baseman Darin Ruf (knee) and outfielder Tyrone Taylor (elbow) to the injured list, the Brewers have 14 men on the IL. Every last position player on the 40-man roster is either on the active roster or the IL.

When first baseman Jon Singleton returned to the Majors for the first time in nearly eight years on Saturday, he became the 45th player to appear in a game for the Brewers this season, which is already eight players shy of their total for all of last year.

All of those injuries create opportunities. On Saturday, the bottom four players in Counsell’s starting lineup were hitters who began the year with Triple-A Nashville. That quartet -- Singleton, shortstop Andruw Monasterio, center fielder Joey Wiemer and Perkins -- each had at least one hit and one run scored while combining for six RBIs.

“I'm a little bit more comfortable, I'd say, the second time,” said Perkins on Saturday afternoon, after getting called up to the big leagues for the second time this season. “The first time was great, very exciting. Now it's more serious, I think. I'm just glad to get the opportunity again, and hopefully do a little bit better than I did last time.”

He’s off to a productive start. Perkins hit a go-ahead single off Ashcraft in a three-run second inning and smacked a grand slam an inning after that as the Brewers added five more runs. When William Contreras homered off Ashcraft in the fourth inning, Milwaukee had a 10-3 lead.

Only five Brewers players have hit a grand slam for their first Major League homer, and two have done it this season. Rookie infielder Brice Turang was the other, in Milwaukee’s home-opening win over the Mets.

“Blake is such a great kid,” said Brewers starter Colin Rea, who had to grind to get through five innings. “He’s so athletic and he has such a great swing. It’s good to see him out there. He’s just so smooth; running, throwing, swinging.”

What was Perkins thinking as he watched his grand slam fly toward the right-field seats?

“There’s not a lot of words,” he said. “To be honest, I was just glad I got the ball in the air, at first. Then I saw [Reds right fielder Jake] Fraley and I was just thinking, ‘I hope it goes.’ My mind was completely blank.”

Perkins described it as trusting that he belongs, and he’s not alone on the current Brewers roster, which could change next week with Willy Adames potentially coming off the 7-day concussion IL and infielder Luis Urías nearing his return from a strained hamstring.

For now, the Brewers will continue relying on their depth.

“This is why, for the guys in the front office, every player matters and you work so hard to gather good players,” Counsell said. “At one time, it seems like, ‘How is this guy going to get to the big leagues?’ And then things happen quickly and they play a big role. For Blake and Andruw and Jon, they played a big role in a win today.”