National League Preview from The Sports Network
Tuesday, June 26th
(All times eastern)
Milwaukee Brewers (33-40) at Cincinnati Reds (40-32), 7:10 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Milwaukee - Marco Estrada (0-3, 4.50)
Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo (3-5, 4.19)
(Sports Network) - Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo can match one pitching
gem with another of his own tonight when the Cincinnati Reds host the
Milwaukee Brewers in the middle portion of a three-game series at Great
American Ball Park.
In Monday's opener, righty Mat Latos fired his second career complete game and
struck out a career-high 13 batters as the Reds held off the Brewers, 3-1.
Latos (6-2), acquired in an offseason trade that sent right-hander Edinson
Volquez to San Diego, scattered four hits and walked just two in his first
complete game in more than two years. He also added two base hits at the
plate.
"That was easily the best performance (as a Red)," manager Dusty Baker said.
"He got two hits and a complete game. That was an outstanding, outstanding
performance."
The 24-year-old right-hander is 6-0 over his last 12 starts and hasn't lost
since April 18 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jay Bruce clubbed a two-run double in the fourth, while Drew Stubbs, who
appeared in the lineup for the first time since suffering a left oblique
strain on June 6, registered two hits, scored twice and added a stolen base to
help the Reds earn just their second win in their last seven games.
Cincinnati extended its National League Central Division lead to two games
over Pittsburgh, which lost, 8-3, at Philadelphia.
The Reds also lead the Cardinals, winners of four straight, by two games.
Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo (6-6) pitched well in defeat, giving up two runs
on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Norichika Aoki belted a solo
shot in the setback, the Brewers' third in a row.
"We're not giving ourselves many opportunities to score runs," manager Ron
Roenicke said. "We only get two or three a night. You better really be good
with runners in scoring position and we really haven't been."
Meanwhile, Arroyo won for the 12th time in 20 decisions against the Brewers on
May 7 in Milwaukee, throwing 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a 6-1 victory.
He's posted a 3.70 earned run average against Milwaukee in 143 1/3 innings,
walking 51 batters and striking out 111 while holding batters to a .243
average.
However, in five decisions since the Milwaukee win, Arroyo is just 1-4,
including an 8-1 defeat at Cleveland in his most recent start on June 20, when
he allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings.
Arroyo has allowed 15 runs on 28 hits in 36 home innings in 2012, losing his
only decision across six starts and allowing a .327 opposition batting
average.
Milwaukee sends righty Marco Estrada to the mound for the first time since May
23, when he began a stint on the 15-day disabled list with a right quadriceps
strain.
The 28-year-old opposed Arroyo in the aforementioned May 7 game in Milwaukee
and took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in seven innings.
He pitched three times after the loss, dropping one decision to Minnesota and
leaving a subsequent start against San Francisco after one inning with the
injury.
In six career meetings with the Reds, he is 1-2 with a 4.29 earned run average
in 21 innings.
The teams split their 16-game series last season after the Brewers won six of
the last seven. In 2012, Cincinnati won two of three in an early May series at
Milwaukee's Miller Park.
06/26 10:45:41 ET
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