MILWAUKEE - The Reds could have just mailed it in Wednesday afternoon. "Play Tuesday night's game on the videoboard," they could have said.
It was "Groundhog Day" at Miller Park with almost everything that happened Tuesday night repeating 15 hours later.
The Reds were held to three hits for the second straight game and Brewers slugger Eric Thames hit a two-run homer for the second straight game as the Reds suffered their second straight 2-0 shutout.
The Reds hadn't been blanked in consecutive games since Aug. 27-28, 2015.
The Reds (3-15) wasted a decent start by Tyler Mahle (1-3), who gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out six.
Jesse Winkler had a double and Jose Peraza and Joey Votto had singles for the Reds' only hits. They got runners at the corners in the seventh before Winker grounded into a double play.
The Reds were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against Brewers starter Zach Davies (1-2) and relievers Dan Jennings and Jacob Barnes. The Brewers (10-9) recorded their first back-to-back shutouts at hitter-friendly Miller Park since 2013.
Thames provided all the offense for both teams in the third inning with his 12th homer against the Reds over the last two years. Thames hit 10 home runs last season against the Reds, the most by any NL player against an opponent.
“He’s their offense against us the last two days with the home runs,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “We make a mistake and he makes us pay for it.”
The defensive highlight came from Milwaukee center fielder Christian Yelich, who returned from the disabled list and made a snazzy sliding catch on a fly ball that deflected off the glove of left fielder Hernan Perez.
Alex Blandino hit a one-out fly in the second to short left-center, and Perez, Yelich and shortstop Orlando Arcia all converged on the ball. Perez cut in front of the sliding Yelich as the ball glanced off his glove 243 feet from the plate.
Yelich had his glove in position for a backhand catch, and the ball glanced off him and popped into the air, allowing the 2014 NL Gold Glove winner to snag it as he regained his feet.
Yelich, acquired from the Miami Marlins during the offseason, played for the first time since April 4 after recovering from a strained right oblique. Yelich went 1 for 2 with a strikeout and a pair of walks.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: C Tucker Barnhart took his regular turn behind the plate. C Devin Mesoraco, who left in the middle of the fifth inning Tuesday night with a bruised right wrist, was available.. ... OF Scott Schebler went 0 for 4 in a rehab appearance Tuesday and is off today. He should play Thursday for Double-A Pensacola and then return to the Reds on Friday.
Brewers: Perez started in place of LF Ryan Braun, who missed the game with a sore left calf — an injury that led to Braun missing 39 games during two stints on the DL last season. Braun legged out a two-base hit in the eighth inning Tuesday night and felt some discomfort. Perez pinch ran for him.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Brandon Finnegan (0-1, 10.38 ERA) makes his second start this season against St. Louis, which beat him 6-1 on Saturday. He faces RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 5.52) Friday in the opener of series at Busch Stadium.
Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (1-1, 2.82 ERA) starts Thursday against Miami and LHP Dillon Peters (2-1, 6.75). He is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five outings against the Marlins.
