Highlights-Lowlights: Brewers-Reds (5/1-5/4)

This is SnoTap's version of recap of the two, three or four game series Milwaukee Brewers will play this season. We focus on the positives and negatives with topics about the game and topics that were nowhere near close to part of the game.

Highlights
Wily Peralta - Easily, the best performance of the weekend.  The young Brewers pitcher dazzled on Friday night going eight shutout innings giving up three hits and striking out seven batters. Peralta has been one of the stars of the young season as he rapidly improved from last season. Also Wily drove in the only two runs for the Brewers on Friday so he did it all to ensure the only Brewers victory of the weekend.

Jonathan Lucroy - Good weekend for Johnny Luc whom drove in a run on Sunday going two for two plus he had a three hit day on Friday night. Lucroy is the only Brewer right now with a batting average over .300 at .312. He needs to keep hitting with this Brewers offense looking weaker and weaker without Ryan Braun. Hopefully, he continues to set the pace.

Johnny Cueto - More people should be talking about the start Cueto is having this season. He did allow two runs on Saturday, but they were two solo shots by Mark Reynolds and Aramis Ramirez. Other than that, he allowed three total hits, striking out 10 batters in eight innings of work. This is the third start out of four where Cueto has struck out 10 or more batters. In those starts, he has struck out 37 batters averaging 9.25 strikeouts per start. Cueto is second in the league with 60 strikeouts with only Jose Fernandez having more with 65.

Todd Frazier - With Jay Bruce having a tough start to his season, someone needed to replace his Brewer Killer role and it was Mr. Frazier. He is known for big series against the Brewers before, but he had his hand in a lot of things that happened for the Reds this weekend. He drove in six runs this weekend plus added a home run as well.  I don't know if we can anoint Frazier a new Brewer Killer, but he is definitely building his case for it.

Carlos Gomez's Catch - OOPS HE DID IT AGAIN. HE PLAYED WITH JOEY VOTTO'S HEART, GOT LOST IN THE GAME. OOOO BABY OOO. Seriously, it was a great catch.



Lowlights
Jim Henderson - Not a great appearance for Henderson on Thursday night as he gave up five runs on four hits plus a home run happened in there as well. He went from having an ERA around three to being around seven after this disastrous appearance. Of course, the day after he went on a Disabled List with shoulder inflammation. I don't know why it took Ron Roenicke a dumpster fire eighth inning to figure that one out, but it did.

Inevitable Disabled List - Ryan Braun will miss two more series with the rib cage injury. Brewers bats are pretty cold right now, and it appears they will have to do without their star for another week. He would return next week Monday to play in the Pittsburgh if he is ready to go. If not, he could return against Chicago over the weekend next week. We shall see what happens with Braun's rib cage injury. I want him as healthy as possible so if he needs more time, that's not a problem.

Marco Estrada - Pretty bad start from Marco. I am not really surprised though. Even though he pitched well at Cincinnati in the past, Great American Ballpark can be a type of stadium where Estrada would struggle in being a fly ball pitcher. He gave up two homers, one was super weak that would only go out at GABP, but still the fact remains, Estrada surrendered them both. What I am worried about is him walking four batters. Hopefully that's just a blip on the radar.

Tyler Thornburg - Not a good weekend for one of the more promising Brewers this season. Thornburg gave up two runs on Saturday giving Cincinnati some much needed insurance runs late in the game, and then he gave up a double to Frazier in the 10th giving Cincinnati the win. In his last seven starts, Thornburg has walked at least one batter. Is that worthy of a concern?  Maybe. It is always one batter, but still, it would be nice to see him have a clean frame.

Aramis Ramirez - Remember when he had a red hot start where we thought this year would be different for him?  And then he has gone ice cold in the last week. Even though he had a homer on Saturday, Ramirez's average is down to .248.  We are only 27 days away from Aramis Ramirez Day folks, don't worry about it.

Charlie.