Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2010 ) Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 8
Joey Votto’s hot streak keeps rolling on and the Cincinnati Reds continue to extend their lead in the National League Central as they head into Wednesday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Votto had two doubles and three RBIs in Cincinnati’s 8-3 win over the Brewers on Tuesday, extending his hitting streak to 10 games while helping the Reds finish off the month of August with a 19-8 record. Votto is hitting .354 with 39 RBIs since the All-Star break to get people talking about the possibility of an NL MVP award.
Cincinnati began last month trailing the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, but the club is now looking to run away with the division, sitting seven games in front of the Cards.
The Reds have a brand new weapon in their bullpen too. Aroldis Chapman made his major league debut on Tuesday, firing a scoreless inning of relief while cracking 100 mph on the radar gun four times in seven pitches.
Chapman, who defected from Cuba 13 months ago and signed a contract worth more than $30-million with the Reds, could be a huge asset for the Reds down the stretch. Left-hander had struck out 49 batters in 30 innings for Triple-A Louisville after being moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen.
Cincinnati’s bullpen owns a 4.11 ERA.
Johnny Cueto hopes he won’t need much help from the relievers when he takes the hill today. Cueto (12-4, 3.49 ERA) was feeling it his last time out, allowing one run over eight innings while striking out seven Chicago Cubs in Friday’s 7-1 win.
It was Cueto’s first win since being suspended for his part in a brawl with the Cardinals.
Cueto is 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA lifetime against the Brewers, who will counter with Chris Narveson (10-7, 5.52 ERA).
The Brewers have won each of Narveson’s last three starts, and the lefty was on fire against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the most recent of those. He allowed two runs over seven innings while striking out eight to earn the win.
Narveson lost his only other start against the Reds on July 28. He allowed three runs over five innings in that 10-2 loss.
The Reds are 4-0 against the Brewers at Great American Ball Park this season and have taken 10 of the last 11 meetings between the two clubs. Cincinnati has scored at least five runs in six of its last seven games.
Milwaukee has lost six of its last nine games.