Brewers at Reds
Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich has flustered Cincinnati with his bat over the last two weeks, but his throw from right field sailed off the mark to allow the Reds to even the four-game series at one win apiece. The reigning National League Most Valuable Player will look to atone for his miscue on Wednesday as the NL Central rivals reconvene in Cincinnati.
Yelich went deep for the second time in as many days in Tuesday's 5-4 loss in 11 innings and fourth time versus the Reds since June 20 to boost his home run total to a majors-best 31 on the season. The 27-year-old has 11 hits, nine RBIs and eight runs scored in the season series against the Reds and he has homered for his lone hit in three at-bats versus Wednesday starter Sonny Gray. Yasiel Puig, who alertly scored on Yelich's miscue, also went deep to improve to 11-for-29 with three homers and nine RBIs against Milwaukee this season. The 28-year-old Cuban is 11-for-29 with two homers against Wednesday starter Jhoulys Chacin.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jhoulys Chacin (3-8, 5.60 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sonny Gray (4-5, 3.94)
Chacin saw his winless skid extend to eight starts after he notched his second straight no-decision on Friday despite yielding one run in five innings versus Pittsburgh. The 31-year-old Venezuelan last tasted victory on April 30, although he earned a win in Cincinnati four weeks earlier after allowing two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 frames. Chacin, who boasts a 3-3 mark with a 4.26 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts) versus the Reds, has struggled mightily against Derek Dietrich (4-for-9), Puig and Joey Votto (8-for-25).
Gray struck out a season high-tying nine in six innings of a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on May 21 before surrendering two homers and four runs total in 4 1/3 frames of a no-decision versus the Brewers on June 21. The 29-year-old, who owns a 1-0 mark with a 2.76 ERA in three career starts against Milwaukee, has flustered Ben Gamel (0-for-8) and Mike Moustakas (4-for-22) while Lorenzo Cain (7-for-12) has been a thorn in his side. Gray continued to turn his season around on Friday by improving to 4-1 in his last seven starts after permitting two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-3 win versus the Chicago Cubs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati 3B Eugenio Suarez has homered four times in his last three games, including a trio of two-run shots in the series.
2. Cain is 1-for-8 in the series and 3-for-22 in his last six games.
3. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett is 2-for-17 in four games since being activated from the 60-day injured list