Pitch, hit & field: Miley does it all in gem

MILWAUKEE -- When it comes to describing an athlete, Wade Miley wouldn't exactly come from central casting. But make no mistake about it, the Reds’ veteran starting pitcher is indeed athletic and it was on full display Friday night in a 2-0 win over the Brewers at American Family Field.

The victory put the second-place Reds six games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central division standings.

"That was fun. Just going out there and competing and having a blast," Miley said. "That’s a huge win for us. That’s a big baseball game right there to even this thing back up and gain a game on those guys. It was a fun baseball game all around.”

On the mound

Miley took a complete-game shutout bid into the ninth inning. He allowed seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts while throwing 104 pitches. Much of Milwaukee's contact vs. the southpaw was weak, as it produced an average exit velocity of 84.3 mph, according to Statcast. At times, hitters tried to slow Miley's trademark brisk pace by calling timeout in the batter's box.

"He worked quick, and I think that gets guys sped up at the plate," Brewers second baseman Jace Peterson said. "He makes pitches, man. He made it tough all night. He threw the ball where he wanted to and really only made a few mistakes."

Leading off the bottom of the ninth, Avisaíl García hit a double to left field to end Miley's night with three outs to go. Right-handed reliever Heath Hembree took over and struck out the side for his fifth save.

"With the two-run lead there, it was kind of batter to batter," Reds manager David Bell said. "The way Wade was pitching and just making pitches, you never know. I would not have been surprised with the way he was going that he could continue to do that and get through the ninth there. It was worth sending him out, and García led off with the hit and that was it. It was nice to be able to give him a shot at it."

With the bat

Miley led off the top of the seventh inning against reliever Miguel Sánchez by hitting a double to the right-field corner. The exit velocity checked in at 104.8 mph, according to Statcast, the hardest hit ball of the night for the Reds. As Miley ran to second base, the throw from García skipped away; Miley saw an opportunity and trucked safely to third base on the error.

"I call it a triple. The triple was fun," Miley said. "A little tiring. I have to quit doing that mess where I have to run all the way to third base."

Batting with one out, Jesse Winker opened with an 0-2 count against Sánchez, but he worked an 11-pitch at-bat. After barely tipping the 10th pitch foul to stay alive, Winker hit an RBI double to right field for a two-run lead.

"Fortunately for me, with Wade being on third, I just had to put the ball in play with his speed," joked Winker, who was 1-for-his-last-27 entering the at-bat. "You know what? I was really just trying to grind one out and hit the ball hard somewhere."

In the field

Miley made a potential rally-stalling play by fielding his position well. As Cincinnati led, 1-0, in the fifth inning, Milwaukee had runners on first and second base with one out when Brewers pitcher Eric Lauer laid down a bunt. It seemed to be perfectly placed on the grass between the mound and third base, but Miley alertly bolted from the mound and made a sliding stop. From his knees, he threw out Lauer as Jonathan India covered first base.

It wasn't entirely Miley's plan to field the ball that way, however.

“I thought he bunted back to me, so I was going to try and get it and throw to third," Miley said. "He hooked it over something, so I overran it. Then it was just full panic trying to get an out. I was able to slide and get a glove on it. India picked me up big time over there. I gave it everything I had to get it over there but it bounced and India made a great play.”

Instead of having the bases loaded with one out, the Brewers had runners on second and third base with two outs. Miley ended the threat by getting Luis Urías to fly out to right field.

Plenty of help

Miley didn't do everything on his own. A two-out RBI double to left field by Tucker Barnhart in the fourth inning gave the Reds their first run. There were great defensive stops by shortstop Kyle Farmer and third baseman Eugenio Suárez and one big throw from Winker.

In the seventh inning, Peterson led off with a hit to left-center field that got away from center fielder Aristides Aquino. Winker backed him up and threw out Peterson trying for second base, with India applying the tag in time as the runner slid into him.

"We talk about just trying to have each other's back," Winker said. "If it was me going for the ball, I know Aquino would've had my back and he would've thrown out Peterson."

Bell felt that Miley has a way of bringing out the best from his teammates.

"Just a great night all the way around," Bell said. "Guys really respond to playing behind him. They love him and it’s fun to watch him compete and enjoy himself out there."