MILWAUKEE

In a stunning display of pitching prowess, Nestor Cortes redeemed himself after a rough debut with the Milwaukee Brewers, hurling six stellar innings to secure a 1-0 victory over the struggling Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. This win marks the third consecutive shutout loss for the Reds, who have now recorded a historic milestone—becoming the first team since the 1960 Philadelphia Phillies to drop three straight games with a score of 1-0.

The Reds found themselves overwhelmed, managing only one hit throughout the game, which came courtesy of Jose Trevino—a ground-rule double in the third inning. Despite the offense's struggles, Cincinnati's Nick Lodolo performed admirably on the mound, allowing just one unearned run over 6.2 innings, yet it wasn't enough to stave off the Brewers.

Cortes (1-1) showed remarkable composure after his previous outing against the New York Yankees, where he allowed homers on his first three pitches and finished with a staggering eight runs allowed in just two innings. On Thursday, he recorded six strikeouts and walked two batters, showcasing a complete turnaround in his performance. Joel Payamps shut the door in the ninth inning, earning his first save.

The lone run of the game came when Jackson Chourio led off the fourth inning with a ground-rule double, followed by an error by Lodolo that allowed William Contreras to reach base. Sal Frelick then drove in Chourio, sealing the game's only score.

With this defeat, the Reds have not only been shut out three times in a row, but they are also on the brink of historically poor performance, being the first team to face such a drought since the Washington Nationals in September of last year.

As the four-game series continues, the Reds will look to rebound with Nick Martinez (0-1, 6.00 ERA) taking the mound on Friday, while the Brewers are yet to announce their starter. Fans are eager to see if Cincinnati can break their streak in what has turned into an unexpected and painful start to the season. Will they find their groove, or will they further cement this dreadful chapter in their history?

Stay tuned!