The visiting Milwaukee Brewers will look to continue their mastery of the Cincinnati Reds when the division rivals meet Saturday night in the middle game of the three-game series.

The Brewers have won six of the first eight meetings between the clubs this season and have used strong pitching to draw even with the Reds atop the National League Central.

The Brewers have limited the Reds to six hits over 18 shutout innings while posting back-to-back 1-0 wins for the first time in franchise history. The first of those contests was played on Sunday in Milwaukee. The teams then went their separate ways for the All-Star break before squaring off again on Friday in Cincinnati.

The Reds, who struck out 18 times on Friday, could not give their home fans much to cheer about.

“The pressure is on, whatever pressure you want to make it,” Cincinnati outfielder Will Benson said. “But yeah, I’m excited for that … playoff-type energy right away.

“I’m very appreciative of the Cincinnati fans, and the environment is what makes it everything for me. Just the intensity when you are putting everything on the line, and then do you feel connected to the city, especially when you’re out there producing it. It’s an amazing feeling.”

The Brewers send right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-7, 4.70 ERA) to the mound in the second game of the series. Peralta will be making his 18th start of the season, and first this season against the Reds. He is 4-2 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 career games, 11 starts, vs. Cincinnati.

Peralta last started on July 6 against the Chicago Cubs, winding up with a no-decision in a 6-5 Milwaukee win. He matched his season high with 10 strikeouts while giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

The Reds will counter with rookie Andrew Abbott (4-1, 2.38 ERA), who is set to make his eighth start of the season.

The left-hander won his major league debut vs. the Brewers on June 5, when he threw six scoreless innings of one-hit ball. The Brewers also dealt Abbott his first major league loss in his most recent start on July 7 at Milwaukee. He allowed six runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings in the Brewers’ 7-3 win.

Reds manager David Bell indicated on Friday that right-hander Hunter Greene (right hip) is now throwing off a mound at the club’s facility in Goodyear, Ariz. Bell added that Greene remains on pace for a return to the Cincinnati rotation in early August.

The Brewers received a boost to their roster when outfielder Tyrone Taylor was reinstated off the injured list before the Friday game. He started and went 0-for-2. At Triple-A Nashville, Taylor hit three homers and knocked in seven runs during a seven-game rehab assignment. He had been sidelined since early June due to a sprained right elbow.

“Tyrone swung the bat really well in his rehab this week,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “I don’t think you’ll see Tyrone in there every day, but we’re going to get him in there a little bit here and there and see how it goes.”

Meanwhile, Milwaukee first baseman Rowdy Tellez remains out with soreness in his right forearm, an injury that landed him on the injured list in early July.

“He started baseball activities (Friday),” Counsell said. “As long as he has three good days of baseball activity, we’ll target Tuesday (in Philadelphia) for activation.”

Milwaukee’s Brian Anderson was a late scratch before the Friday game due to lower back discomfort. Andruw Monasterio replaced him in the lineup at third base and went 0-for-4.

–Field Level Media

One day after teammate Zack Gelof nearly produced a magical moment in his major league debut, fellow rookie Tyler Soderstrom will make a second attempt at his first big-league hit when the host Oakland Athletics and the Minnesota Twins continue a three-game series on Saturday.

Joey Gallo was the hero of Minnesota’s 5-4 win in the second-half curtain-raiser on Friday, but only after Gelof came within inches of delivering a three-run homer that would have given the hosts an early lead.

With his parents watching, and having flied out in his first major league at-bat, Gelof drilled a double high off the right field fence in the third inning. A video review confirmed that the ball hit inches below the home run line, but Gelof still had his first hit and RBI — as well as a ball to present to his parents.

Instead of the A’s taking a 4-2 lead on what would have been a three-run homer, they had two fewer runs — which would wind up being the difference between a win and a loss.

Gelof finished the night 1-for-4 with a strikeout.

Soderstrom, promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas on the same call as Gelof, went 0-for-3 in his big-league debut, walking once and striking out once.

Afterward, A’s manager Mark Kotsay admitted he was impressed by both prospects and vowed the Friday appearances were not a one-time deal.

“Both came as advertised,” said Kotsay, whose team lost its fifth game in a row. “The ball Gelof hit shows his power. They both took some good at-bats.”

If, as expected, they are back in the lineup in the rematch, they would face off with Twins starter Pablo Lopez (5-5, 3.89 ERA). The right-hander had the best start of his career with a four-hit, 12-strikeout shutout against the Kansas City Royals on July 5.

He has allowed just four runs and 14 hits while striking out 28 over 21 innings in his past three starts.

Lopez, 27, will be facing the A’s for a second time. He shut them out on four hits over six innings for the Miami Marlins in a 5-3 win at Oakland on Aug. 23, 2022.

The A’s are expected to counter with Hogan Harris (2-3, 6.07 ERA). The left-hander was roughed up by the Detroit Tigers in his most recent start, torched for seven runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings during a 9-0 road loss on July 6.

He went 0-2 with a 9.20 ERA over his past three starts, during which he allowed 22 hits in 14 2/3 innings.

The 26-year-old rookie has never faced the Twins.

When he does, he will be encountering the American League Central’s first-place club, a distinction the Twins earned by a half-game thanks to their Friday win coupled with the Cleveland Guardians’ 12-4 road loss to the Texas Rangers.

While the Athletics’ focus in the second-half opener was on two prospects, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was happy to see 11 of his hitters and six of his pitchers team up for the victory on Friday.

“When you put a lot of work into anything and you reach your goal — today, it’s a win — it does feel great,” he said. “We had to put in some hard work, both on the pitching side and grinding some at-bats. It was a long but satisfying game.”

–Field Level Media

The Baltimore Orioles picked right up where they left off prior to the All-Star break, and they are eager to keep it going.

Baltimore brings a six-game winning streak into its Saturday night clash with the visiting Miami Marlins. The Orioles opened the three-game series with a 5-2 victory on Friday night.

“Guys want to get back after it,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said.

The Orioles provided a quick power surge, hitting three home runs in the first game of a six-game homestand. Two of those bombs came from second baseman Adam Frazier, who posted the first multi-homer game in his 905-game career. He has a career-high 12 long balls this year.

“Really, the work that I’ve done with the hitting coaches,” he said, describing attempts to put his body in better position to unleash more power. “It felt good. Keep working day by day.”

Miami entered the break with five wins in its previous seven games. The Friday result was a rarity in that it dropped the Marlins to 11-5 this season in American League ballparks.

The key against the Orioles will be to avoid any major deficits. Miami was within 3-2 after the top of the eighth inning, but Baltimore had a pair of relievers at the All-Star Game for a reason.

“They have really good back-end bullpen guys,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “You don’t ever want to get any more (behind than one run).”

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.60 ERA) gets the call for the Orioles on Saturday. He will aim to be the team’s second pitcher in as many nights to reach the 10-win mark after Dean Kremer did so with six solid innings on Friday.

Gibson ended a personal three-decision losing streak on Sunday at Minnesota. He limited the Twins to two runs in seven innings and racked up 11 strikeouts to match his career high.

Gibson is 2-3 with a 4.61 ERA in seven career starts against Miami. Pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies, he matched up with the Marlins in consecutive starts last September, giving up four runs in five innings during a no-decision and then yielding only one run in six innings of what became his last victory of the season.

The Marlins will counter with left-hander Braxton Garrett (5-2, 3.70 ERA). He has won his past four decisions and hasn’t taken a loss since May 8. Even though he wound up with seven no-decisions during his two-month unbeaten stretch, Miami nearly always wins when he pitches.

The Marlins are 10-1 in Garrett’s last 11 outings and 14-4 this year. He has never faced the Orioles in his four major league seasons, all with the Marlins.

Miami used left-hander Robert Garcia in relief Friday night to face three batters in the seventh inning during his major league debut. He was a bit jittery while allowing a hit and a walk, but Schumaker saw reason to be encouraged.

“Looking forward to seeing him out there again,” the manager said. “He throws strikes, he’s good. He has got deception. It’s tough to pick up his slider. His fastball is 95 (mph).”

–Field Level Media

Arizona’s Zac Gallen is one of the favorites in the National League Cy Young Award race, while Toronto’s Kevin Gausman is one of the top contenders for the American League honor.

The two All-Star right-handers were scheduled to square off Saturday when the Diamondbacks face the host Blue Jays in the middle contest of a three-game set. Toronto won the opener 7-2 on Friday.

Unfortunately the Blue Jays scratched Gausman hours before the game due to discomfort in his left side. An MRI showed no major concerns and he is considered day-to-day. Right-hander Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.19 ERA) gets the start instead.

Gallen (11-3, 3.04 ERA) is tied for the major league lead in victories after placing fifth in last season’s NL Cy Young balloting. The Arizona ace started Tuesday’s All-Star Game for the NL and pitched a scoreless inning.

The Diamondbacks could use one of Gallen’s top-notch efforts on Saturday. They have lost six of their past eight games.

In nine of his 19 starts, Gallen has allowed no more than one run while pitching at least six innings. He beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in his final start before the All-Star break, giving up one run and four hits over seven innings on July 7.

Gallen, 27, also has fanned 11 or more batters four times. He has struck out 125 in 118 1/3 innings.

Gallen has never faced the Blue Jays. He has given up homers to Brandon Belt (3-for-20) and George Springer (1-for-6) when those players were with other teams.

However, Gallen has struggled on the road with a 2-3 mark and 5.08 ERA in nine starts. At home, he is 9-0 with a 1.48 ERA in 10 outings.

Toronto has won six of its past seven games.

Bassitt has not suffered a loss since June 13. The Blue Jays have won his past three starts, thanks in part to his 21 strikeouts and just four walks across 16 innings.

Bassitt is 3-0 with a 3.09 ERA in four career starts against the Diamondbacks.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 14th homer of the season — in his first at-bat since winning the Home Run Derby — and Matt Chapman had three hits as Toronto totaled 16 overall.

“I was looking for a good pitch to hit,” Guerrero said through an interpreter of his 426-foot blast off Ryne Nelson. “He left it right in the middle, and I put good contact on it.”

The Blue Jays pushed across five runs and sent 10 hitters to the plate in the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie.

Toronto closer Jordan Romano (lower back tightness) wasn’t needed on Friday but is expected to be available on Saturday if the club is in a save situation.

Arizona All-Star outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. received a long ovation when he came up to bat for the first time on Friday. Gurriel, who has 15 homers, twice hit 20 or more for the Blue Jays from 2018-22 before being traded along with catcher Gabriel Moreno to the Diamondbacks for outfielder Daulton Varsho in December.

“It’s part of the game,” Gurriel said through an interpreter. “Trades are there. You just have to understand it and move on.”

Moreno homered for Arizona in the opener.

–Field Level Media