Reds at Brewers
Eric Thames spent three years in Korea and became a star while piling up big home run totals, and nothing is changing during his reintegration to the major leagues. Thames, who already set a franchise record for home runs in April with 11, will take aim at the major-league mark when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday.
Thames is particularly prolific against the Reds and bashed his eighth home run in six games versus the division rivals with a two-run shot in the sixth on Tuesday, which broke Carlos Lee's club record of 10 in April and moved him within three of the record of 14 shared by Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez. Thames' production is rubbing off on the rest of the offense as well, and utility man Hernan Perez followed up a 2-for-4 performance (double, home run) in Monday's series opener with two triples, a homer and three RBIs in Tuesday's 9-1 triumph. The Reds (10-11) are searching for pitching help after dropping six of their last seven and yielding five or more runs in each of the last five contests. Cincinnati will try to get a boost on Wednesday from right-hander Rookie Davis, who opposes Milwaukee's Wily Peralta.
TV: 1:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Rookie Davis (0-0, 6.43 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Wily Peralta (3-1, 4.71)
Davis will come off the disabled list to make his third start after taking a line drive off the forearm at Pittsburgh on April 11. Davis, who turns 24 on Saturday, had allowed one run and two hits in four innings against the Pirates before exiting his second major-league start. The North Carolina native was roughed up by Philadelphia in his first turn, yielding four runs and five hits in three frames.
Peralta won his first three starts while allowing a total of five runs but was not anywhere near that sharp against St. Louis on Friday. The Dominican Republic native was knocked around for six runs and nine hits in four innings and failed to notch a strikeout in his first loss of the season. Peralta had little trouble the first time he faced Cincinnati on April 16, when he breezed through six innings while giving up two runs and three hits.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Reds recalled RHP Barrett Astin and optioned RHP Ariel Hernandez to Double-A Pensacola on Tuesday.
2. Milwaukee RF Domingo Santana is 0-for-17 in his last five games.
3. Cincinnati C Devin Mesoraco (hip, shoulder) completed a 20-game rehab assignment on Tuesday and is expected to be added to the major-league roster on Friday.