Yelich takes 18-game hit streak into matchup with Reds
Cincinnati Reds (36-38, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (40-36, second in the NL Central)
Milwaukee; Saturday, 4 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luis Castillo (7-1, 2.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 103 strikeouts) Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin (3-8, 5.60 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 51 strikeouts)
LINE: Brewers favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee's Yelich puts 18-game hit streak on the line against Reds.
The Brewers are 18-12 against opponents from the NL Central. Milwaukee has hit 132 combined home runs this season, most in the National League. Christian Yelich leads the club with 29, averaging one every 8.9 at-bats.
The Reds are 13-17 against the rest of their division. The Cincinnati pitching staff as a whole has an ERA of 3.58. Luis Castillo leads the team with a 2.36 earned run average. The Reds won the last meeting 11-7. David Hernandez earned his second victory and Yasiel Puig went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Cincinnati. Chase Anderson registered his second loss for Milwaukee.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yelich leads the Brewers with 62 RBIs and is batting .349. Lorenzo Cain has 10 hits and is batting .244 over the last 10 games for Milwaukee.
Derek Dietrich leads the Reds with 18 home runs and is batting .231. Puig is 15-for-38 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games for Cincinnati.
LAST 10 GAMES: Brewers: 2-8, .230 batting average, 6.07 ERA, outscored by 16 runs
Reds: 7-3, .248 batting average, 3.09 ERA, outscored opponents by 18 runs
Brewers Injuries: Bobby Wahl: 60-day IL (knee), Brent Suter: 60-day IL (elbow), Corey Knebel: 60-day IL (elbow), Gio Gonzalez: 10-day IL (arm).
Reds Injuries: Alex Wood: 60-day IL (back), Wandy Peralta: 10-day IL (hip), Nick Senzel: day-to-day (undisclosed), Scooter Gennett: 60-day IL (groin).
