Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2014 ) Cincinnati 13, Milwaukee 4
The Milwaukee Brewers have been in sole possession of first place in the National League Central since April 9 and enjoy the largest division lead in the NL. One of the main reasons Milwaukee's gap isn’t larger than five games is due to their lack of success against the Cincinnati Reds, who host the Brewers in a three-game road set starting Friday. Milwaukee (51-35) owns the best record in the NL and sports a major league-best 27-17 road mark, but is only 2-5 overall against Cincinnati.
Another reason the Brewers haven’t been able to create more separation in their division is because they have dropped three in a row following a four-game winning streak. The Reds, who begin an 11-game homestand on Friday, haven’t been able to take advantage of Milwaukee’s recent struggles, however, as they watched their offense total two runs while getting swept in three games by the San Diego Padres. The skid came immediately after Cincinnati’s season-high five-game winning streak and put a damper on the start of a 6-1 road trip.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Kyle Lohse (9-2, 3.08 ERA) vs. Reds RH Alfredo Simon (10-3, 2.81)
After watching the bullpen blow a lead in a game in which he started for the fifth time this season, Lohse settled for a no-decision in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. The 35-year-old, who allowed one run on seven hits over seven frames, has fared well versus the team he logged 32 starts for from 2006-07, compiling a 5-4 record and 2.89 ERA in 16 all-time turns against Cincinnati. One of those outings came in a head-to-head matchup with Simon on May 4, when he permitted two runs in 6 1/3 innings but did not factor into the decision in a 4-3 loss.
Simon did not get any help from his offense on Saturday, instead settling for a no-decision in an 11-inning victory over the San Francisco Giants when the Reds scored all seven of their runs after the eighth inning. The longtime reliever yielded a run on three hits over seven innings, marking the second straight outing in which he allowed one run but failed to come away with the victory. Simon did not factor into the decision in his only career start versus the Brewers on May 4 and is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 10 all-time appearances (one start) against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee LF Khris Davis (shoulder) expects to be back in the lineup for the opener after sitting out Wednesday’s loss versus the Toronto Blue Jays.
2. Cincinnati handed the Brewers their only series loss from May 23-June 22, when it took two of three in Milwaukee.
3. All four hits Davis (2-for-4) and Brewers 2B Scooter Gennett (2-for-6) have tallied off Simon have been home runs.
PREDICTION: Brewers 3, Reds 2