No Hader, no problem: Mix-and-match 'pen seals win

CINCINNATI -- Nine outs to go, no runs to give, and no Josh Hader.

The Brewers made it work with a warning track to spare.

Keston Hiura hit a tie-breaking home run in the top of the seventh inning before manager Craig Counsell and the Brewers mixed and matched their way to a 5-4 win over the Reds on Friday at Great American Ball Park. Starter Eric Lauer and relievers Miguel Sánchez, Devin Williams and Brad Boxberger combined to get those final nine outs to finish a much-needed victory for a team that arrived in Cincinnati after 3 a.m. ET Friday after losing for the 10th time in 12 games.

It was very nearly an 11th loss in 13 games, but Joey Votto’s bid to deliver a walk-off home run fell short at the track in center field for a game-ending out.

Did Boxberger worry off the bat that it was a homer?

“No, but you never know here. This place is a Cracker Jack box,” Boxberger said. “I knew he didn’t get it, but anything in the air here, you never know.”

The Brewers got the length they needed from Lauer, who surrendered three home runs for the second straight start but managed his pitch count well enough to pitch with a lead in the seventh after Hiura homered off Ross Detwiler -- Hiura’s first extra-base hit off a lefty in 51 plate appearances this season. Sánchez got two outs with his superb changeup to finish that inning, and then Counsell went with Williams and Boxberger in that order with Hader away.

Hader is taking a break from being the Brewers’ All-Star closer to be a dad. His wife, Maria, gave birth to the couple’s first child on Wednesday after a difficult pregnancy, and Hader was away for a third day Friday.

“We’re missing a big piece, but it’s just up to other guys to step up,” Williams said.

For most of the season, the Brewers have deployed Boxberger, Williams and Hader in that order when they are protecting a narrow lead after the sixth inning. Did Williams know he would pitch ahead of Boxberger this time?

“No, I had no idea,” Williams said. “That’s how it goes. I’m used to throwing the eighth inning.”

Boxberger said he got word in the middle innings that Williams would go first, and Counsell explained that two factors were in play: One, Williams had not pitched since Sunday at Washington and Counsell wanted to ensure he had an impactful inning in Friday’s game. Two, the top of the Reds' order was due up in the eighth including Brandon Drury and Tommy Pham, each of whom had homered off Lauer.

Catcher Omar Narváez and second baseman Luis Urías teamed up to catch Jonathan India stealing to help Williams through a scoreless eighth before first baseman Rowdy Tellez made a daring play for a critical out in Boxberger’s hard-fought ninth. The Reds had runners at first and third when Votto pinch-hit with two outs and sent his deep fly ball to center field, but into the glove of Tyrone Taylor.

Williams hasn't been scored on in his last 14 appearances, and Boxberger has held opponents 5-for-35 (.143) over his last 10 outings.

“Look, Devin has been pitching incredibly. He’s doing a heck of a job,” Counsell said. “And Box is just Mr. Steady. That’s what he is. You know his heartbeat is not affected by the seventh inning, eighth inning, ninth inning…. And Sánchy getting two outs. That’s not usually a role he’s pitching in, in the seventh inning, but he came in and threw some really good pitches and kept the ball down.”

“I think any of us down there can step up in any situation,” said Boxberger, who was an All-Star as the Rays' closer in 2015 and has twice topped 30 saves in a season. “I think we’ve got a good group of guys down there.”

Said Sánchez: “That’s our responsibility. Just do our job wherever Counsell uses us.”

Brewers relievers similarly stepped up on their last long road trip when Hader remained home during a particularly tough time in his wife’s pregnancy. Williams pitched three days in a row for the first time in his career during that series and the Brewers took two of three games at San Diego.

Hader’s stint on the paternity list expires Saturday, but barring a change of plans, he is not expected to rejoin the team until it returns home Monday. On Thursday, Josh and Maria announced happy news via social media: The birth of a baby boy, Lucas Alexander.

“It’s definitely not been easy for him,” Boxberger said. “So, being able to be on the other side of it now, I think it’s a blessing for everybody.”