When the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a 5-game series, it bunched the top 4 NL wild-card contenders within 5 1/2 games.

The Reds played clean baseball Sunday to beat the Brewers, but defensive lapses earlier cost them the series — again.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott is coming off one of the most impressive weeks of his young career. He faced off against two of the best teams in baseball, the Phillies and the Brewers, and gave up just three runs on 10 hits in 14 2/3 innings. He did not walk a batter in the two starts and struck out 13.

Jake Fraley's playing time had decreased significantly since the Cincinnati Reds added two hitters at the trade deadline. He was DFA'd Sunday.

Read on for my MLB picks for Sunday, August 17. Milwaukee Brewers starter Jose Quintana faces a Cincinnati Reds lineup with a 24% strikeout rate against lefties with one bomb, 18 hits, and an .819 OPS against him in 59 career at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds Make Flurry of Roster Moves Ahead of Series Finale vs Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds are hoping to win on Sunday to avoid being swept by the Brewers.

The Cincinnati Reds knocked out an All-Star pitcher in the second to take an 8-1 lead, then blew it in a 10-8 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.