Milwaukee @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2018 ) Milwaukee 6, Cincinnati 4

The Milwaukee Brewers got their brief road trip off to a good start in the series opener thanks in part to Eric Thames, who hopes to continue his recent dominance against the host Cincinnati Reds when the four-game set continues on Friday. Thames erased a deficit with a three-run homer in the seventh inning of Thursday's 6-4 win, giving him 13 blasts in his last 20 contests against Cincinnati and six in 33 at-bats at Great American Ball Park.

Milwaukee, which was coming off a six-game homestand and has a seven-gamer slated after the series in Cincinnati, also received a homer from Jesus Aguilar in the victory. The 27-year-old Venezuelan pulled into a tie with Colorado's Nolan Arenado and Washington's Bryce Harper for the National League lead with his career-high 19th blast - a two-run shot in the third inning that gave him 54 RBIs, eclipsing the personal best of 52 he registered last year. Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker went deep for the Reds, who lost for just the second time in 11 contests. Winker has gone 5-for-8 over his last three games and collected 12 RBIs over his last eight.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Chase Anderson (5-6, 4.37 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sal Romano (4-7, 5.40)

Anderson rebounded from a drubbing at the hands of Philadelphia on Saturday, when he limited St. Louis to one run and two hits over five innings of a no-decision. The 30-year-old Texan registered a season-high nine strikeouts in the outing but also issued four walks and served up his 16th home run of the year, which ties for second most in the National League. Anderson improved to 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in eight career starts against the Reds despite yielding four runs on six hits and four walks in 5 1/3 frames on May 1 at Cincinnati.

Romano escaped with a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday after surrendering five runs and eight hits in five innings. The 24-year-old New Yorker was superb in his previous two turns, giving up one run and eight hits over 15 frames while going 1-0. Romano has yet to defeat the Brewers in his brief career, going 0-4 with a 6.27 ERA in four career starts - including a loss at Milwaukee on April 17 in which he allowed two runs and four hits over five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers welcomed back 3B Travis Shaw (wrist) in the series opener after missing two games but could be without OF Christian Yelich on Friday after he left in the first inning with lower back tightness.

2. Suarez has hit safely in 20 of his 24 games this month while SS Jose Peraza has registered three straight two-hit performances.

3. Milwaukee purchased the contract of LHP Mike Zagurski from Triple-A Colorado Springs, optioned RHP Adrian Houser to the Sky Sox and sent SS Tyler Saladino (ankle) to Single-A Wisconsin on a rehab assignment.

PREDICTION: Reds 7, Brewers 4