Cincinnati Reds (23-18) vs Cleveland Indians (15-24) Preview
Cincinnati (23-18) scored three times in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday to beat Milwaukee 5-4, its 10th win of the season in its final at-bat. The Reds’ luck ran out in Atlanta, however.
Cincinnati lost 5-4 to the Braves on Wednesday by allowing a run in the ninth, but that paled in comparison to what happened the next day.
Cincinnati jumped out to an 8-0 second-inning lead Thursday on Joey Votto’s grand slam, his fifth homer in 12 games. The Reds led 9-3 after eight, but Atlanta scored seven times in the ninth - capped by Brooks Conrad’s pinch-hit grand slam - to send Cincinnati to a stunning 10-9 loss and out of the top spot in the Central.
“It was a horrible ending,” said manager Dusty Baker, who appeared close to breaking down after the game. “Boy, that was a tough one.”
One of the biggest surprises in baseball, Cincinnati will try to quickly put the painful defeat behind it, and a three-game series against struggling Cleveland might be just what it needs to do so.
The Indians (15-24), in danger of falling a season-worst 10 games below .500, have plated 12 runs while batting .199 during a four-game skid. The slide has coincided with trips to the disabled list for Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore.
Because of the injuries, Cleveland had Trevor Crowe leading off and Jason Donald batting second in a 9-3 loss to Kansas City on Thursday. Both were at Triple-A Columbus less than one week ago.
“It’s been a struggle,” manager Manny Acta said. “We’re not hitting balls out of the ballpark and we’re striking out too much. Something has got to give.”
Getting on track offensively could be difficult against Bronson Arroyo (3-2, 4.78 ERA).
The right-hander pitched a seven-hitter in a 7-2 win over St. Louis on Sunday and has gone 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts.
Arroyo also looked strong in his lone start against the Indians last season, yielding one run in eight innings of a 3-1 victory May 22.
Cleveland counters with Jake Westbrook (2-2, 4.27), who worked around nine hits for his 13th career complete game in a 5-1 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Westbrook, who didn’t pitch last season while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, won his last two starts by allowing one run in each. He went 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA in his first six.
“I feel great right now, and that’s encouraging for me,” the right-hander said.
Westbrook, who has not won three consecutive starts since Sept. 18-30, 2006, will make his first start against the Reds since June 23 of that year. He allowed three runs in six innings of a 3-0 loss.
The Indians dropped four of six to the Reds last season but lead the series 32-31.
Votto had two homers and five RBIs in five games against Cleveland in 2009.
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