Milwaukee @ Cincinnati Preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2016 ) Milwaukee 0, Cincinnati 3

Brandon Phillips has pieced together the early makings of a September to remember, while the Milwaukee Brewers are trying to forget what the veteran second baseman has done at their expense this season. Phillips looks to continue his torrid play on Tuesday as the Cincinnati Reds vie for a series victory versus their visiting National League Central rivals.

Phillips collected two hits in Cincinnati's 3-0 triumph on Monday to improve to 9-for-15 with seven runs scored in his last four games and 15-for-37 this month. The 35-year-old is 17-for-45 with four homers, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored against Milwaukee this season and is batting .355 in 31 career at-bats versus Tuesday starter Matt Garza. The cellar-dwelling Reds have recorded back-to-back shutouts and won four straight to move within 2 1/2 games of the Brewers, who have answered a 7-1 stretch by losing three of their last four. Ryan Braun, who is 3-for-7 against Tuesday starter Dan Straily, has hit safely in three straight games and seven of his last nine.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Matt Garza (5-6, 4.36 ERA) vs. Reds RH Dan Straily (11-8, 3.88)

Garza owns a 1-1 record in his last three starts despite yielding just two earned runs and 11 hits while limiting the opposition to just a .162 batting average. The 32-year-old allowed a solo homer for the second straight outing in a no-decision versus the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Garza has struggled mightily away from home this season with a 1-5 mark and 5.96 ERA, and surrendered four runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-4 setback at Cincinnati on July 15.

Straily has answered a 6-0 record during a seven-start stretch by dropping two of his last three decisions, including a lackluster three-run, three-walk performance in five innings of a 4-1 setback at Pittsburgh on Thursday. The 27-year-old hopes a return home is just what the doctor ordered, as Straily is 6-1 at Great American Ball Park. The right-hander did not factor in the decision in a home contest versus the Brewers on July 17 despite scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings but picked up the win at Milwaukee after allowing two runs in 5 1/3 frames of an 11-5 triumph.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati RF Scott Schebler has collected five RBIs in his last three games and is 12-for-35 in September.

2. Milwaukee SS Jonathan Villar is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in his last three contests.

3. Reds CF Billy Hamilton is considered day-to-day despite having missed nine straight games with a strained left oblique.

PREDICTION: Reds 4, Brewers 2