Cincinnati @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2015 ) Milwaukee 6, Cincinnati 1

While the other three teams in the National League Central are fighting over postseason positioning, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds are trying to decide which team will finish in the basement. The Reds will try to climb out of that bottom spot when they visit the Brewers for the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

Cincinnati is hoping the road is more welcoming than home, where it just completed a 1-9 stand that dropped the team a half-game behind the Brewers in the Central. The Reds’ problems began long before that homestand, and the offense has managed more than three runs only four times while dropping 12 of the last 13 contests. The Brewers’ pitching staff could be just the thing to break Cincinnati out of its funk, as they allowed a total of 32 runs while dropping the final four of a five-game road trip. That string began with a rough start for rookie Taylor Jungmann, who will try to bounce back opposite fellow rookie Raisel Iglesias in the opener.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHING: Reds RH Raisel Iglesias (3-5, 3.93 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Taylor Jungmann (7-5, 2.66)

Iglesias is getting no help from his offense of late and is winless in his last two turns despite allowing one earned run in that span. The Cuba native struck out a career-high 13 and yielded one earned run and three hits over seven innings against Arizona on Sunday but walked away with a loss in a 3-0 final. Iglesias is making his first start against Milwaukee and is 1-4 with a 5.81 ERA on the road.

Jungmann has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 12 of his 14 starts but was roughed up by Washington on Saturday. The Texas native was reached for five runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings to take the loss. Jungmann had no trouble carving up the Cincinnati lineup on July 5, when he surrendered one run and four hits in eight innings to pick up a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds RF Jay Bruce is batting .103 over the last 22 games with one home run.

2. Milwaukee LF Khris Davis has five home runs and nine RBIs in his last six games.

3. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto has reached base safely in 16 straight games and has walked 52 times since the All-Star break.

PREDICTION: Brewers 3, Reds 2