INSTANT REACTION: Reds Drop Third Straight, Fall to Brewers 3-2 on Monday

CINCINNATI -- The predictable nature of the 2025 Cincinnati Reds continued Monday night in a 3-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cincinnati struggled to generate offense after a two-run first, the Brewers Christian Yelich homered yet again against the Reds and the Reds couldn't overcome a late-inning deficit.

Milwaukee has now won eight straight games, while the Reds fall to 29-32 with their third straight loss.

Here are the key takeaways from Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Brewers.

Another anemic offensive performance from the Reds offense

Even when something good happens from the Reds lineup, like the two-run first inning on Monday night, it's so predictable what's going to happen next. The Reds had two runs on three hits in the first inning, but just five hits the rest of the way.

It's truly maddening... and predictable. That's what the Reds' lineup is. They cannot be relied upon to manufacture runs when needed. Just look at the fact that they haven't won a game when trailing after the sixth, seventh, or eighth innings and don't have a win in extra innings.

You know what that says about this team? That there's a lack of toughness and resilience. If this Reds team can't win in a certain way, they lose. Good teams don't just have one way to win. They have multiple ways to win. The Reds don't appear to be one of those good teams.

Brady Singer labors through five innings

Watching the game tonight, I was thinking about how Singer was, arguably, the Reds best pitcher through the first few weeks of the season. Singer's ERA was at 3.24 through April. Now, it's at 4.66.

Not only that, but Singer has pitched five innings or less in four of his last five starts. On Monday night, Singer got through five innings. But it took the Reds right-hander 97 pitches to get through those five innings. Only 59 of Singer's 97 pitches were for strikes.

Singer going deep into ball games is a much-needed necessity for this Reds team. That will ease the burden on a struggling bullpen. The more rested the Reds bullpen is, the better it will be late in games.

Notes and observations

• Cincinnati went just 2-8 with runners in scoring position on Monday night.
• The Brewers did not have an at-bat with runners in scoring position Monday night.
• Four Reds relievers allowed just one combined hit across the final four innings of Monday night.
• Christian Yelich homered for the 13th time this season.

On deck

The second of three games against the Milwaukee Brewers is Tuesday night. Hunter Greene (4-3, 2.63 ERA) will be on the mound for the Reds against Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-3, 2.77 ERA).

First pitch is at 7:10 E.T. on FanDuel Sports Network Cincinnati and 700WLW.