Cincinnati @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2014 ) Cincinnati 2, Milwaukee 3

The Milwaukee Brewers are bouncing back after a long slide nearly sabotaged their season. After losing 13 of 14 contests, the Brewers won their third straight Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds. The teams meet again on Saturday with Milwaukee sitting only 1 1/2 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the National League’s second wild card while trailing the first-place St. Louis Cardinals by four games in the NL Central.

Cincinnati is playing out the string and fell eight games below .500 with Friday’s 3-2 loss. Journeyman Lyle Overbay delivered the game-winning single for the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth, shortly after Jonathan Lucroy smacked his 51st double – 44 of them as a catcher to match the NL record set last year by Yadier Molina of the Cardinals. Reds shortstop Zack Cozart reached base three times on a single and two walks after going 2-for-25 over his previous eight games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH David Holmberg (0-1, 8.25 ERA), Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (8-9, 3.61)

Holmberg is making his third major-league start of this season and fourth of his career. He is coming off his best performance, blanking St. Louis on four hits over 5 2/3 innings last Monday. Holmberg has allowed 17 hits and 10 walks in only 12 innings.

Gallardo has lost three consecutive decisions and is winless over his last four starts. He has struggled badly over his last two outings, giving up 13 runs (10 earned) and 17 hits over 8 2/3 innings. Gallardo is 7-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 23 career starts against Cincinnati, including 0-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three 2014 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee has won the last four meetings to even the season series at 7-7.

2. Brewers OF Khris Davis (forearm) has missed back-to-back games but could be available on Saturday.

3. Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (22-for-60, two homers), LF Ryan Ludwick (12-for-34, three HRs) and RF Jay Bruce (15-for-47, two HRs) have all fared well against Gallardo.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Reds 4