Rays at Reds
The Tampa Bay Rays look to get their offense going as they begin interleague play by visiting the Cincinnati Reds on Friday to start a three-game set. The Rays posted only six runs while losing three of their last four games and are batting .211 with runners in scoring position overall despite a strong start from All Star Evan Longoria. The Reds need to jump-start their season after going 1-2 in each of their first three series while averaging three runs and losing a trio of one-run games.
Matt Joyce (.391 average) and Longoria (.371) have combined for 10 RBIs in the first three series for the Rays and Ryan Ludwick (.320) leads the Reds. Offense will be at a premium Friday with a battle of aces when Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto faces 2012 American League Cy Young winner David Price. Tampa Bay has never won at Cincinnati (0-3) in its history and is 1-8 all time against the Reds.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (1-0, 4.05 ERA) vs. Reds RH Johnny Cueto (0-1, 1.93)
Price battled through his last start while allowing four runs in six innings after gaining the victory in his season debut with a solid performance. The 28-year-old has given up 15 hits in 13 1/3 frames overall, but walked only one and struck out a dozen. Price retired the first 14 batters and struck out 12, yielding two runs over 7 2/3 innings, and did not get a decision in his only start against the Reds in 2011.
Cueto has not received much offensive support in his first two outings, but allowed only three runs over 14 strong innings with 17 strikeouts. The Dominican Republic native struggled through injuries last season and hopes to add to his solid 45-23 record from 2010-13. Cueto gave up three runs in 7 2/3 innings against Price and the Rays on June 28, 2011 – a game won by a Longoria walk-off homer in the ninth.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds 1B Joey Votto, the 2010 National League MVP, is 2-of-17 the last five games and has only one RBI on the season.
2. Tampa Bay C Ryan Hanigan, acquired from the Reds in the offseason, owns five RBIs and has thrown out two of three baserunners trying to steal.
3. Cincinnati speedster CF Billy Hamilton broke out with three hits and his first two stolen bases of the season in the 4-0 win over St. Louis on Wednesday.