Cincinnati @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 27, 2010 ) Cincinnati 12, Milwaukee 4

An impressive performance by their top four hitters has put the Cincinnati Reds back atop the NL Central.

Cincinnati will try to stay there Wednesday as rookie Travis Wood and the Reds wrap up a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Reds, who lead the NL in scoring, flexed their muscles on Tuesday’s 12-4 rout. Cincinnati’s 1-through-4 hitters went 15-for-22 with eight runs scored and seven RBIs.

Scott Rolen, who returned Monday after missing nine games with a hamstring injury, snapped out of an 0-for-16 skid with four hits and three RBIs. Brandon Phillips went 4-for-6 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored, while Joey Votto recorded four hits.

The balanced attack helped the Reds move back into a tie with St. Louis (55-45) for first place in the Central. It's a familiar position for Cincinnati, which has held or shared top spot for nearly three months.

The Reds now hope to move back into sole possession of first behind Wood (0-1, 2.76 ERA), who is seeking his first win in his sixth career start. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed four runs and nine hits in a 6-4 loss to Houston on Friday.

Wood must tread lightly with the Brewers, who have won five of six and hit at least one homer in 16 straight games. In particular, Rickie Weeks has been nearly unstoppable of late. The seven-year veteran has homered in three straight games and seven of his last 10 contests.

Like Weeks, Milwaukee has begun to heat up over the last week. The Brewers have won 11 of 16, but still trail the Reds and Cardinals by eight games.

Part of the reason Milwaukee is a distant third in the Central is its porous pitching staff.

Chris Narveson (8-6, 5.93), who has just one win in his last four starts, has been one of the main culprits. The left-hander is 1-3 with an 8.87 ERA since beating Seattle on June 27.

He allowed five runs and six hits in six innings of a 7-5 loss to Washington on Friday. This will be his first start against Cincinnati, which has won seven of the last eight meetings.

The Brewers may once again be shorthanded when they try reverse that trend Wednesday, as All-Star Corey Hart is expected to miss a fifth straight game due to wrist and thumb injuries.