Brewers have a chance to win their second series in a row and their first of July this evening in Arizona as they get set to take the season series against the Diamondbacks.

After a late night yesterday with over eight innings thrown by the Brewers bullpen, they’ll lean on Brandon Woodruff to provide them with rest. Woodruff will be making his third start on the mound since returning from the injured list and his ninth overall on the season. Since returning, Woodruff has thrown 11 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits, no runs, and has struck out 16. That brings his season total to a 2.59 ERA with 41 strikeouts.

Tonight’s start will be Woodruff’s ninth against the Diamondbacks in his career. Most recently, he was sent to the injured list after he completed 1 1/3 innings at the end of April. Overall, he has been up-and-down throughout the course of his career against the Diamondbacks, posting a 4.65 ERA with 51 strikeouts.

For the Diamondbacks, Merrill Kelly will be handed the ball to make his 15th start of the season. He’s been in the midst of his worst season up to this point in his career as he enters tonight with a 5.84 ERA, having allowed 18 home runs, 33 walks, and only striking out 33. He finished the month of June with a 7.31 ERA, as in his last start, he allowed five runs to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lifetime against the Brewers, Kelly has been successful, posting a 3.41 ERA in 11 games. However, in his last outing against the Brewers in April, he gave up five runs on six hits and five walks.

Though no lineups have been announced yet, much of both of these lineups have faced both teams’ starting pitcher. For the Brewers, Sal Frelick and Brice Turang have witnessed the most success against Kelly, as they hope to replicate what they did in Milwaukee back in April.

You’ll be able to listen to tonight’s game on the Brewers Radio Network on WTMJ 620 while being able to watch it on Brewers.TV. First pitch will be another late one as it’s slated for 8:40 p.m.

On Friday afternoon, a Minneapolis police car drove slowly down Blaisdell Avenue towards Lake Street. 

In response, a group of several dozen people moved further down the street, congregating at the KFC at the intersection. Minutes later, they returned to a spot that three of them admitted to be a spot to hang out, purchase and use fentanyl. 

“The majority of us are addicted to fentanyl. The majority of us don’t want to be,” a man who wanted to go by Alon said. “It’s just really difficult getting off without having someone to hold our hand and guide us in the right direction.” 

Alon said that he fell into a pattern of fentanyl use after becoming homeless. It was a similar story for Jeremiah and Mohamed, who told WCCO that they didn’t know where they were going to sleep on Friday night. But Blaisdell Avenue and Lake Street had become a reliable place to spend the day.

“It’s a place to go. A lot of times people don’t have a place to go,” Mohamed said. 

Both men said that drugs are abused on the block, but claimed that no one else in the neighborhood was getting hurt. 

“[There’s] not a lot of crime going on as far as like harming other people. We’re harming ourselves doing these drugs,” Jeremiah said. 

The city would likely designate the area as an open-air drug market. Just this week, Mayor Jacob Frey was joined by local law enforcement and Native American organizations to announce a crackdown on drug users and sellers in these kinds of public spaces. 

“You can get services that we will offer and you can get better. We’ll make sure that those services are readily accessible,” Frey said. “But if you don’t accept those services, you can’t continue to hurt our neighborhoods and make our streets less safe.” 

The announcement comes as concerns continue to grow over public fentanyl use, discarded needles and criminal activity in areas like Cedar Avenue and Highway 55. City officials emphasized that enforcement will be paired with efforts to connect people to resources. Those with the city say they will continue helping individuals find housing and addiction treatment while expanding access to Brixadi, a medication that helps reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Naomi Wilson, a community organizer who has criticized Frey’s approach towards drug markets and homeless encampments in the past, said that “criminalization” will only create more harm, and that the city should explore designating safe, public areas for drug use while creating more stable housing options. 

“All we are asking from the mayor is to partner with advocates to partner with City Council on an interim step that’s not criminalization,” Wilson said. “I think the issue is that with all the fencing around the city, people don’t have anywhere to be. They don’t have anywhere where they can be safe at nighttime.”  

On social media, Councilmember Jason Chavez likened Mayor Frey’s announcement to the city starting a “War on Drugs.” 

“Our community has told us what it actually needs. A safe location, safe outdoor spaces, tiny home villages, real pathways off the street, and housing first, a compassionate approach, not another arrest that leaves someone with a record, further from housing, further from a job, and further from the stability they need to get well,” Chavez posted online. 

He ignored a request for comment from WCCO. 

On Blaisdell Avenue, Jeremiah was blunt. He said he knew city services were available, noting that many simply weren’t interested. 

“Whether people are a drug addict or just lazy, they don’t tend to go for it. But they’re [services] definitely available,” Jeremiah said. 

During Thursday’s announcement, Frey argued that the goal is not criminalization. 

“After years of outreach, we cannot stand by while drug use continues to harm our neighbors,” Frey said. 

Thunderstorms could move in over Central Indiana this afternoon and evening as Indianapolis celebrates the Fourth of July, dampening fireworks shows.

The National Weather Service forecasts that scattered showers and thunderstorms could hit the Indianapolis area before 8 p.m. today, with showers likely and another thunderstorm possible between 8 and 9 p.m. – right before many area fireworks shows are scheduled to begin. The rainy skies aren’t likely to clear until after midnight, and the chance of precipitation today is around 60%. 

The storms will move eastward as a low-pressure system in Illinois begins to collide with the hot, moist air mass enveloping Indiana, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Puma. Areas north of Indianapolis are more likely to see thunder and showers on the evening of July 4, while southern Indiana may dodge the storms, Puma said. 

Organizers of the largest fireworks shows near Indianapolis haven’t announced any cancellations yet. 

“Fourth Fest will be going ahead as scheduled,” Faith Thompson, a spokesperson for the Downtown Indy Alliance, which organizes the fireworks show downtown, wrote in an email. Updates will be posted on the Downtown Indy Alliance’s social media accounts. 

More: Here’s where to catch Fourth of July fireworks in and around Indianapolis

Heat and humidity could impact festivities during the rest of the day. With a forecast high of 88 F and a heat index that could rise to 95 degrees in the late afternoon, Indianapolis remains under a National Weather Service heat advisory until 9 p.m. Tomorrow’s forecast is slightly cooler with scattered showers possible.