First-place Brewers look to keep rolling in CincyFLMThe Milwaukee Brewers reside atop a congested National League Central due in part to their play against their division rivals.The Brewers bid to bolster their division lead on Tuesday when they play the second contest of their four-game series against the host Cincinnati Reds. Milwaukee is one game up on the Chicago Cubs, who lost 18-5 to the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Monday.Christian Yelich belted his majors-leading 30th homer Monday in the Brewers' 8-6 victory, giving Milwaukee seven wins in 10 outings against Cincinnati this year while improving the club to 23-13 versus NL Central foes.The homer was the reigning NL Most Valuable Player's first since he went deep in three straight games from June 19-21, with the final two coming against Cincinnati."It's just one of those things where you have to stay level-headed and not get frustrated with it," said the 27-year-old Yelich, who set a franchise record with 30 homers before the All-Star break."He's having a tremendous first half. Getting a thousand hits (in his career, which he reached Sunday,) was a big deal, and getting that 30th homer is gone now," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I think he'd tell you that he is fighting himself a bit, but he still came up with big hits (on Monday)." Milwaukee will turn to right-hander Chase Anderson (4-2, 4.42 ERA) on Tuesday in its attempt to win a fourth straight contest.Anderson secured his first victory in nearly a month on Thursday after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 4-2 win versus the Seattle Mariners.The 31-year-old wasn't as fortunate in his last encounter with Cincinnati, falling to 5-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 career starts versus the Reds after yielding six runs in five innings of an 11-7 loss on June 21.Eugenio Suarez, who is just 3-for-19 -- albeit with two homers -- against Anderson, belted a pair of two-run shots Monday in the series opener. Suarez has three homers in his past two games and a team-high 19 on the season.Cincinnati will send right-hander Tanner Roark (5-6, 3.36 ERA) to the mound as it aims for just its third win in nine outings.Roark overcame a solo homer by Yelich in a 7-1 win on June 20, the only run he allowed in six innings, to improve to 5-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) versus Milwaukee.The 32-year-old followed that performance by allowing one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.The Reds' bullpen, which has been stellar for the majority of the season, has taken its lumps over the past four games. The relievers have permitted 16 runs (15 earned) on 16 hits in their past eight innings, although manager David Bell refused to criticize them given their performance this season."You can't take away anything from what our bullpen has done all year," Bell said. "It didn't work out (on Monday), but you can't take anything away from the year that (Monday's losing pitcher David Hernandez) has had up until this point." Cincinnati outfielder Yasiel Puig is expected to return to the lineup after sitting out the series opener."It's tough taking him out of the lineup because he's been swinging the bat well and playing a great right field," Bell said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's a little -- he won't want to admit this -- banged up. I'm sure you guys saw when he ran into the wall (Friday) night. I was shocked that he got up that quick." Monday ended a stretch of 18 consecutive starts in which Puig batted .333 with six homers, 12 RBIs and 12 runs.--Field Level Media
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