The Cincinnati Reds wrap up their road series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, September 13, with first pitch at 2:10 PM ET at American Family Field. Chase Burns gets the ball for Cincinnati opposite Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser in what shapes up as a critical late-season matchup between two NL Central clubs still fighting for position in the standings. With the calendar turning deep into September, every game carries real weight, and this one is no exception for a Reds club looking to close out the trip on a winning note.

Starting Pitchers: Chase Burns vs. Robert Gasser

Burns is the headliner here. The young right-hander has been one of the more compelling stories in Cincinnati's rotation, and Sunday gives him a chance to deliver a marquee performance on the road against a divisional opponent. He'll face a Brewers lineup that has enough veterans to punish mistakes — Christian Yelich remains a dangerous bat even batting sixth, and Jackson Chourio gives Milwaukee a legitimate spark at the top of the order.

Gasser, pitching for Milwaukee, is a crafty southpaw who can keep lineups off-balance. The Reds will need to make adjustments against him, particularly with left-handed hitters in the lineup. How the Cincinnati offense responds to Gasser's sequencing early will set the tone for the afternoon.

Cincinnati Reds Lineup

• Dane Myers, CF
• Elly De La Cruz, SS
• Sal Stewart, 1B
• Eugenio Suárez, 3B
• Tyler Stephenson, DH
• JJ Bleday, LF
• Juan Brito, 2B
• Jose Trevino, C
• Héctor Rodríguez, RF

Milwaukee Brewers Lineup

• Garrett Mitchell, CF
• Jackson Chourio, LF
• Brice Turang, 2B
• Gary Sánchez, C
• Jake Bauers, 1B
• Christian Yelich, DH
• Joey Ortiz, 3B
• Luis Lara, RF
• Cooper Pratt, SS

Keys to Watch for the Reds

• Elly De La Cruz hitting second: De La Cruz in the two-hole puts Cincinnati's most dynamic offensive weapon in prime position to do damage early. If he gets on base and uses his speed, the Reds can put pressure on Gasser before the lineup even turns over.
• Eugenio Suárez in the cleanup spot: The veteran third baseman has playoff-round experience and a power bat that can change a game in a single swing. Getting Suárez involved early against Gasser is a priority.
• Burns and pitch efficiency: The Brewers lineup, while not overwhelming on paper, has enough contact threats to run up a pitch count. If Burns can work deep into the game with conviction, Cincinnati's bullpen gets a needed breather late in the season.
• Dane Myers setting the table: The leadoff job is Myers' to own today, and getting on base to set the table for De La Cruz makes that top of the order genuinely dangerous.

Prediction

This is Burns' game to control. If he brings his best stuff to American Family Field, the Reds have the lineup construction to scratch out enough runs against Gasser and take the series finale. Milwaukee is no pushover at home, and Chourio and Yelich can hurt you in a hurry. But Cincinnati's rotation arm is the difference-maker today. Reds win, 4-2.

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