Cincinnati @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2018 ) Cincinnati 0, Milwaukee 8

Christian Yelich has terrorized Cincinnati's pitching staff all season and looks to follow up another terrific outing when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Reds on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Yelich hit for the cycle for the second time against Cincinnati this season and drove in four runs in the Brewers' series-opening 8-0 victory on Monday.

Yelich is the fifth player in major-league history to hit for the cycle twice in a season and the first to do it against the same team as he continues to bolster his National League MVP resume. Yelich is 24-for-48 with seven homers and 17 RBIs against the Reds this year - including a career-best six-hit performance on Aug. 29, when he hit for his first cycle. The Brewers occupy the top NL wild-card spot and have been keeping the heat on the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central as they trail by 2 1/2 games. Scooter Gennett went 1-for-3 in the series opener, but Yelich's big night allowed him to move into a tie with Cincinnati's second baseman for the NL lead with a .318 batting average.

TV: 7:40 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-1, 3.21 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Chase Anderson (9-7, 3.85)

Lorenzen is making his first start of the season after coming out of the bullpen 42 times and first in the majors since Sept. 16, 2015. The 26-year-old has made 151 consecutive relief appearances since losing to San Francisco, and his career marks show he has been much more effective out of the bullpen (13-6, 3.60 ERA) than in the rotation (4-9, 5.45). Lorenzen has posted a 3.68 ERA in four appearances against Milwaukee this season and is 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 20 career contests (three starts).

Anderson has won his last three decisions but has worked five innings or fewer in six of his last seven turns. The 30-year-old is 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 10 career starts against the Reds and has won all three of this season's matchups while compiling a 3.63 ERA. Anderson has enjoyed success against Billy Hamilton (3-for-19), Eugenio Suarez (3-for-17) and Gennett (2-for-11).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers own a 12-5 advantage in the season series with two contests remaining.

2. Suarez struck out twice in four hitless at-bats in the opener and is 1-for-17 over his last five games.

3. Milwaukee 3B Travis Shaw reached base three times (two hits, one walk) on Monday after beginning the month in a 3-for-30 funk.

PREDICTION: Brewers 11, Reds 3