Reds at Brewers
Christian Yelich is on the fast track toward potentially repeating the feat as the National League Most Valuable Player, although the Milwaukee Brewers have sputtered out of the blocks with their recent play. The Brewers have lost six of their last seven contests heading into the second of four games against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Yelich (majors-best 28 homers) certainly is not to blame for Milwaukee's malaise, as he has seven homers, 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored during his 17-game hitting streak. The 27-year-old went deep for the second straight night on Thursday, however, the Brewers opened a 10-game homestand with a 7-1 setback to Cincinnati. Jose Iglesias highlighted his four-RBI performance by joining rookie Nick Senzel in belting a two-run homer as the Reds posted their season-high fifth straight win. The 29-year-old Iglesias is batting 6-for-19 with six RBIs and two runs scored versus Milwaukee this season heading into his first career meeting against right-hander Chase Anderson.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sonny Gray (3-5, 3.77 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (3-1, 4.05)
Gray hopes to duplicate the success in his last start at Miller Park on May 21, as he scattered five hits and struck out nine over six innings in a 3-0 victory. That win ignited a 3-1 mark in the last five starts for the 29-year-old, who permitted three runs on five hits in five frames versus Texas on Sunday. Lorenzo Cain (5-for-9) has fared well versus Gray, although the hurler has flustered Mike Moustakas (3-for-20) in a bigger sample size.
Anderson recorded his second straight no-decision on Sunday after allowing three runs and four walks over four innings against San Francisco. The 31-year-old kept the ball in the park versus the Giants after surrendering five homers in his previous three outings. Yasiel Puig (2-for-13, eight strikeouts) and Eugenio Suarez (3 for-17, two homers) have mostly struggled against Anderson, who owns a 5-2 mark with a 3.23 ERA in 11 career starts versus Cincinnati.
WALK-OFFS
1. Puig has five multi-hit performances in his last nine games.
2. Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun is 3-for-17 with seven strikeouts in the season series against Cincinnati.
3. Reds RF Jesse Winker is 9-for-18 with two homers and seven RBIs over the past five games.