The Milwaukee Brewers try for their second straight three-game sweep at home when they host the National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds in their series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Milwaukee, which has won five straight at Miller Park, captured all three home games against Houston from July 30-Aug. 1, outscoring the lowly Astros 31-12 in the process. While the Brewers' offense has not been as explosive in this series, the club is hoping to turn the tables on the Reds, who held Milwaukee to four runs while sweeping a three-game set at Great American Ball Park from July 20-22.
Cincinnati has been swept just once this season, losing three at Cleveland from June 18-20. The Reds, who have dropped three straight for the first time since July 3-5, maintained their 3 1/2-game lead over Pittsburgh, however, as the Pirates lost to Arizona on Tuesday. The club had won five in a row and 15 of 16 overall, not to mention nine straight on the road, prior to this series.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN (Cincinnati, Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mat Latos (10-3, 3.94 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Randy Wolf (3-8, 5.57)
Latos extended his personal winning streak to three games with a superb outing against Pittsburgh on Friday, when he scattered four hits over 7 1/3 innings while hitting his third career home run. The 24-year-old has lost just once in his last 19 starts and has yielded two runs or less in seven of his last eight. Latos recorded his first win in three career decisions against Milwaukee on June 25 as he allowed one run and struck out 13 en route to the first of his back-to-back complete games.
Wolf had notched only one victory in his last 16 starts. The veteran was saddled with the loss at St. Louis on Saturday after surrendering five runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Wolf, who is 2-5 in 12 home starts, owns an 11-4 record and 3.42 ERA in 23 career outings against the Reds.
WALK-OFFS
1. Brewers rookie SS Jean Segura recorded his first career RBI on Tuesday but remains hitless in 10 major-league at-bats.
2. The Reds are 16-6 since losing 1B Joey Votto to knee surgery in mid-July.
3. Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun is 0-for-15 over his last four games. He remains one home run shy of his fifth year with 30 or more and one stolen base away from his third career 20-20 season.