Reds at Brewers, Game 4 - Preview and Lineups

The Reds needed their ace to put down an ace-type performance in yesterday’s game. Luis Castillo was, unfortunately, not up for the task, and the Reds six game winning streak was halted before reaching seven.

Anthony DeSclafani is on the mound today, riding a Reds hot June into Milwaukee. He’s allowed only three runs in his last 16 innings (three starts), good for a 1.69 ERA for the month. He’s struck out 13 and walked only four in that time, as well. It’s been an up and down season for the 29 year old right hander, but with the looming presence of Alex Wood, he’s turned it on at exactly the right time.

Disco has faced these Brewers only one other time this season, in his first start of the season. He pitched five innings in that one, allowing only a single run, striking out eight and walking three.

Brandon Woodruff will take the mound for the Beer Makers as the team tries to salvage a split. Woodruff is having a fine season, his 4.02 ERA inflated a bit by a six earned, four innings pitched appearance on the first of this month. His ERA+ sits at 111 on the season, and Baseball Reference scores him at a 2.2 bWAR, so all and all, not bad. His 3.13 FIP and 1.168 WHIP point to things being better than fine, though he’s not been as good recently, with a 6.26 ERA this month in four starts.

He has not faced the Reds yet this season. He held them without a run last season, pitching from the bullpen.

The Reds, April be damned, are still only 4.5 games out of first place in the NL Central division. The Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals are within one game of one another (in that order), so this is a bigger game for the Brew Crew in the short term, but the Reds winning this one would (with a little bit of help), put four teams within three and a half games of the division in late June. That is what you would call contending.

Go. Reds.

Reds lineup

Brewers lineup