MLB Game Preview - Cincinnati at Milwaukee

Wed Jul 24, 2019 2:10 PM EDT

The good news for the Brewers is that closer Josh Hader should be fresh. Whether Milwaukee can actually get a lead to Hader is another story.

The Brewers hope they can hand Hader a save opportunity or else win comfortably Wednesday afternoon when they host the Cincinnati Reds, trying to avert a three-game sweep.

Milwaukee won five of six entering the series and utilized Hader three times. After using him for the final two games in Arizona over the weekend, the Brewers stayed away from him Monday and dropped a 6-5 decision when Jeremy Jeffress allowed a go-ahead two-run homer to Eugenio Suarez. It was Suarez's second home run of the game.

Hader, who has 22 saves, a 2.27 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings, was not needed Tuesday because the Brewers could not get Suarez out in another loss, 14-6. Suarez hit a two-run homer, had an RBI double and reached base four times as the Brewers allowed 17 hits.

The last two nights pushed Milwaukee into third place in the NL Central and came on the heels of losing ace Brandon Woodruff for possibly six weeks due to a strained left oblique.

"Who we're playing doesn't matter," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "You've got to play a good game to win. That's the big leagues, that's the National League. And we're not playing well enough in these games. We didn't come close to playing well enough tonight."

The Reds lead the season series 8-7 and have won the past five meetings between the teams thanks to Suarez's hot bat. Eight of Suarez's 27 homers are against Milwaukee, and he is batting .295 (18-for-61) with 17 RBIs in the season series.

"He's very patient, aggressive when he needs to be, but stays within the zone," Davies said of Suarez. "He's a tough out. Good swing, strong guy. You can make your pitch, and he can still be able to get a hit out of it."

Joey Votto and Jesse Winker also homered Tuesday for the Reds, who have won five straight over Milwaukee for the first time in a single season since winning seven in a row in 2010.

"It's a good team over there," Winker said. "That's a great lineup, good pitching staff. It's great to come in here and win the first two."

Jhoulys Chacin (3-10, 5.67 ERA) will start for Milwaukee on Wednesday, seeking his first win since April 30. Chacin, who is 0-7 with a 6.22 ERA in his last 10 starts, allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings Friday in Arizona.

Chacin is 3-4 with a 4.14 ERA in 13 career appearances (11 starts) against Cincinnati.

Lucas Sims (1-0, 3.72 ERA) will start for Cincinnati in place of Tyler Mahle, who is on the injured list with a strained left hamstring.

Sims is making his second start of the season, his first career appearance against Milwaukee, and he is pitching after making two relief appearances over the weekend against St. Louis.

--Field Level Media