Reds at Brewers
Eugenio Suarez has been a wrecking ball against Milwaukee's pitching over the past two nights and will look to lead the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a three-game sweep of the Brewers in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Suarez clubbed his third two-run homer of the series Tuesday night as Cincinnati beat Milwaukee for the fifth straight time.
Suarez drove in three runs as part of a three-hit night and boosted his season totals to eight homers and 17 RBIs in 15 games against Milwaukee this season. Joey Votto contributed a two-run blast and three runs as part of his third straight two-hit performance in the 14-6 rout and has scored 13 times in 15 games versus the Brewers in 2019. Manny Pina came off the bench to homer and drive in four runs for Milwaukee, which has split 12 games since the All-Star break and dropped 11 of 18 overall to fall 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second wild card in the National League. Reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich had an RBI single Tuesday and will carry a 12-game hitting streak into the series finale.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Lucas Sims (1-0, 3.72 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jhoulys Chacín (3-10, 5.67)
With Tyler Mahle going on the injured list Monday due to a strained left hamstring, the Reds will turn to Sims, who made a pair of scoreless relief appearances in last weekend's series against St. Louis. A former first-round pick of Atlanta in 2012, the 25-year-old made a spot start in late May versus Pittsburgh and carried a shutout into the eighth inning before surrendering a grand slam in an 11-6 victory. Sims has 12 strikeouts versus two walks in 9 2/3 innings this year.
Expected to anchor the staff after winning a career-best 15 games last year, Chacin remains in search of his first victory since April 30, posting an 0-7 record and 5.96 ERA during an 11-start drought. He surrendered a homer for the sixth straight start last time out at Arizona, taking the loss after he was shelled for seven runs over 2 1/3 innings. Chacin beat the Reds with 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball on April 2 and lost at Cincinnati despite six innings of two-run ball on July 3.
WALK-OFFS
1. Suarez has 10 home runs and 19 RBIs in July, with six and 13 coming against Milwaukee.
2. Brewers 2B Keston Hiura has hit safely in 12 consecutive games.
3. Reds OF Jesse Winkler's two-run blast gave the team 30 homers and 82 runs in the first inning this season -- both major league highs.