Cincinnati @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2016 ) Cincinnati 11, Milwaukee 5

The Cincinnati Reds have been stuck at rock bottom in the National League Central for a while, but first baseman Joey Votto has been making a steady ascent. Votto had four hits in Saturday's 11-5 romp for the Reds, who have won seven of their last nine series and will look to complete a three-game sweep of the host Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon.

Votto was batting .213 at the end of May, but he has hit safely in 24 of his last 26 games to push his average above .300 (.301) for the first time this season. Fellow corner infielder Eugenio Suarez has a pair of homers and six RBIs over the last three games for the Reds, who are winding up a nine-game road trip. Despite playing their third straight last-place team, the Brewers fell to 8-12 in August following Saturday's drubbing. Second baseman Scooter Gennett tied a career high with four hits Saturday and is 9-for-17 during a four-game hitting streak.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Cody Reed (0-6, 6.36 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (4-8, 6.38)

Reed finally appeared on the way to breaking into the win column at St. Louis on Monday, tossing six scoreless innings of four-hit ball before the bullpen suffered a ninth-inning meltdown in a 5-4 defeat. It was the finest outing of the season for Reed, who has given up at least four runs in seven of his nine career starts. He has yielded only two homers in the last four starts after permitting nine in his first five turns.

Despite taking the loss at Atlanta on Tuesday, Peralta turned in one of his best starts of the season by allowing two runs on four hits over six innings. Recalled from the minors to take the place of an injured Junior Guerra, it marked the first start in nearly two months for the 27-year-old Dominican, who is 4-4 with a 3.14 ERA against Cincinnati. Votto has tormented Peralta, going 10-for-26 with a home run.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers LF Ryan Braun went deep Saturday to extend his team's homer streak to 16 games.

2. Reds C Tucker Barnhart has hit safely in 10 consecutive games.

3. Reds RF Scott Schebler is 0-for-24 in his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Brewers 5, Reds 4