CINCINNATI – This was a new and unexpected experience for Craig Counsell: Sitting through the rain.

Storms moved into the Cincinnati area shortly before the start of the Milwaukee Brewers’ scheduled game against the Reds on Friday night, prompting the third postponement this season at Great American Ball Park.

It was Counsell’s first postponement since he took over as manager on May 4 for Ron Roenicke. Milwaukee’s had only three rain delays all season.

“We’ve been fortunate with the rain this year,” he said.

The game was rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader today, with the makeup game at 6:10 p.m. It’s Milwaukee’s final visit to Cincinnati, where the Brewers have won their last four games. They lead the season series 7-6.

Matt Garza (6-14), who was scheduled to start Friday, will face rookie left-hander John Lamb (0-3) in the afternoon game.

Wily Peralta (5-8) goes against rookie Keyvius Sampson (2-2) in the second game. Sampson had been scheduled to start Friday for Cincinnati.

There’s nothing at stake for either team. Milwaukee is fourth in the NL Central at 58-75, trailing first-place St. Louis by 28 games. The Reds are last at 55-77, trailing by 30 1/2 games.

Unlike the Brewers, the Reds have gotten rained on a lot.

It was the 15th rain delay at Great American this season totaling 21 hours, 46 minutes. Including road games, the Reds have been involved in 21 weather delays lasting a combined 27:45.

The Brewers entered the series concerned about their bullpen because it’s been used a lot lately. They called up right-hander Ariel Pena from Triple-A Colorado to give them an extra reliever.

“We were going to call him up the last couple days, but with where we’re at in the bullpen, that probably just sped it up a little bit,” Counsell said.

The Brewers entered the series on an upbeat stretch, having won four straight games and five of their last six. The offense has come around, scoring at least four runs in each of those last six games and 39 overall. Jonathan Lucroy has led the way with a career-high 11-game hitting streak that includes three homers.

Cincinnati has lost 15 of its last 18 games.