(Photo credit: Jeff Hanisch)

After opening a double-digit lead in the National League Central race, the Milwaukee Brewers will attempt to move closer to their fourth consecutive division title when they open a three-game series on Friday against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Veteran right-hander Dustin May (6-9, 4.69 ERA) starts for the Brewers, while the Reds counter with left-hander Andrew Abbott (6-10, 4.43). Both the Reds and Brewers were off Thursday.

The Brewers (91-56) survived a five-run ninth-inning rally to hold off the Chicago Cubs 8-6 on Wednesday, completing a sweep and extending their lead in the NL Central to 10 games.

Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and William Contreras each homered to back a solid start from Logan Henderson, who allowed one unearned run on two hits in five-plus innings.

The Brewers lowered their magic number to five to clinch the NL Central for the fifth time in the last six seasons and fourth time in a row. Milwaukee also leads the Los Angeles Dodgers by 1 1/2 games for the best overall record in the majors.

Cincinnati lost 14-1 at the Dodgers on Wednesday. Elly De La Cruz homered in his fifth consecutive game for the Reds' only run.

'Well, it's fun to watch,' Reds manager Terry Francona said about De La Cruz. 'I mean, on a night that there wasn't a lot of fun stuff to watch, it's pretty impressive.'

The Reds took two of three from the Brewers earlier this month in Cincinnati.

'The Reds are killing it. They're swinging it unbelievably,' Brewers manager Pat Murphy said in his Wednesday pregame media session. 'They took us behind the woodshed, spanked us two out of three. Put on an offensive show.'

Abbott is 1-4 with a 6.37 ERA in his last seven starts, allowing 39 hits and 16 walks in 35 1/3 innings.

His last start was against the Brewers, but he did not get a decision in the Reds' 5-3 victory. Abbott allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in four innings, striking out five without a walk before exiting after a rain delay.

Abbott is 3-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 10 career starts vs. Milwaukee.

May, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline, is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA in six starts with the Brewers, giving up 25 hits and 10 walks in 23 1/3 innings.

He has not won in five starts since getting the victory in his Brewers debut Aug. 6, when he allowed two runs on three hits in six innings in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

May's last start was opposite Abbott on Sept. 5. Before the rain delay ended his day prematurely, he allowed two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Chourio, Contreras and Yelich are each starting to heat up at the plate. Chourio is batting .361 with six homers and 16 RBIs in his last 22 games. Contreras is hitting .353 with four homers and 18 RBIs in his last 21 games, and Yelich is hitting .311 with two homers and seven RBIs in his last 19 contests.

After Brandon Sproat walked four batters to ignite the Cubs' ninth-inning rally Wednesday, the Brewers sent him back to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday. Sproat, acquired from the New York Mets in the offseason trade for Freddy Peralta, spent most of the season in the rotation before being sent down. His relief appearance Wednesday was his first since being recalled earlier in the week.

'It's unacceptable,' Murphy said after Wednesday's game. 'You've got to throw the ball over the plate, or you can't be a major league pitcher.'

--Field Level Media