Reds at Brewers, Game 3: Preview/Prediction Thread

If you want to see how quickly this season has gone by, look at the remaining schedule. This is the second-to-last road game the Reds will play on Sunday this season. It also is the last time the Reds will play an NL Central opponent not named the Pittsburgh Pirates. After today, there will only be a dozen regular season games yet. In other words, this will be a great time to stretch a one game winning streak into a fourteen game winning streak.

The Reds look to leave Milwaukee today sans hangovers and with two wins under their belt during this series. To do so, they will have to defeat the "ace" of the Brewers, Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo is probably as anxious for 2013 to be over as his teammate Ryan Braun. Gallardo has disappointed with an ERA of 4.18 and a record of 11-9. However, he has performed much better against the Reds than other teams this season compiling a 2-1 record and an ERA of 2.01. Reds bats are only OPSing a cool .584 against Gallardo and have racked up 18 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. The batter with the most success this season has been Brandon Phillips who has garnered 5 hits in 12 plate appearances. In even more limited action both Zack Cozart and Ryan Hanigan have also done well this season against Gallardo.

The Reds will fittingly trot out the rubber-armed Bronson Arroyo for this rubber game in Wisconsin. Bronson currently sits at 186 innings on the year, needing only 14 more to reach 200 innings for the eighth time in nine years. Like Gallardo, Arroyo has shined against his Sunday opponent this season, amassing a 2-0 record with an ERA under 2.20 and a stellar strikeout to walk ratio of 8.00. If Arroyo can circumnavigate the at bats of Scooter Gennett (lifetime 3-6) and Logan Schafer (lifetime 3 for 10), he may be able to continue his 2013 success against Milwaukee.

So, it's again time for Sunday baseball. With no other local teams playing today, your eyes should be glued to the happenings at Miller Park followed by obsessive scoreboard watching of the Pirates and Cardinals games. Besides, when you have Thom Brennaman and Chris Welsh, who needs analysis from folks like this guy? Go Reds! They're my favorite team! Regardless of sport!