Reds at Brewers
Third baseman Eugenio Suarez is off to the best start of his career and hopes to continue the red-hot hitting on the road when the Cincinnati Reds begin a six-game trip Monday night against the slumping Milwaukee Brewers. Suarez went 6-for-11 with two homers over the weekend against the Chicago Cubs to raise his average to .371 and is 10-for-19 on the road in the early going this season.
Suarez doubled and scored twice in Sunday’s 7-5 victory as the Reds snapped a four-game slide to complete a 3-7 homestand before heading out on the road where they have won five of six contests. Rookie Amir Garrett takes the mound for Cincinnati in the series opener against veteran Matt Garza, who is expected to be activated to make his season debut after battling injuries. The Brewers have dropped five of six after a strong start to 2017, including Sunday’s 6-4 setback against St. Louis, and have won just three of 11 games at Miller Park. Eric Thames, who came into Sunday leading the majors with eight homers, belted five and knocked in eight runs as Milwaukee took three of four games at Cincinnati from April 13-16.
TV: 7:40 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Amir Garrett (2-1, 1.83 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Matt Garza (2016: 6-8, 4.51)
Garrett lost last time out 2-0 against Baltimore despite striking out a season-best 12 batters and recording his third straight quality start to begin his major-league career. The 24-year-old Californian and former basketball player at St. John’s won his first two starts while allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks over 12 2/3 innings. Garrett, who threw a season-high 97 pitches in seven innings against Baltimore, posted a 3.18 ERA during five years in the minors before making the Reds in the spring.
Garza makes his first start of 2017 after being hampered by a groin injury and making starts at both Class A and Triple-A which totaled 10 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old owns an 87-97 career record and made 19 starts last season with a 4-2 record and 3.38 ERA at home as opposed 2-6 and 5.43 marks on the road. Joey Votto (12-for-34, two homers) and Suarez (4-for-9) have had solid success against Garza, who went 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in a pair of starts versus Cincinnati last year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee OF Ryan Braun recorded multiple hits in five of the last eight games, including three homers and seven RBIs.
2. Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart (sore wrist), who went 6-for-13 with a homer against Milwaukee earlier this season, was a late scratch Sunday and is day-to-day.
3. Brewers C Manny Pina has hit safely in nine consecutive games, going 15-for-32 during that stretch.